This  booi 


Y  1  1   197 


amped   below 


PRINCIPLES 

OF 

SALESMANSHIP 


By 

HAROLD    WHITEHEAD 

Professor  of  Sales  Relations, 

College  of  Business  Administration,  Boston  University; 

Author  of  "The  Rexall  Course  in  Salesmanship" 


TEXT  EDITION 


Fourth  Prinling 

46727 

NEW  YORK 

THE    RONALD    PRESS    COMPANY 

1920 


Copyright,  1917,  by 
IThe  Ronald  Press  Company 


To  My  Father 


w  ^^ 

PREFACE 

Men  vary  greatly  in  their  ability  to  sell  goods.  Some  are 
successful  because  of  an  inborn  aptitude  for  selling;  others 
succeed  through  study  and  practice  in  the  business  world. 
Whatever  a  man's  natural  ability  may  be,  it  can  be  developed 
and  made  much  more  effective  by  the  systematic  study  and 
•^'  application  of  the  principles  of  salesmanship. 
Qj-  This   statement  is  borne  out  by  the  experience  of   The 

C5-  National   Cash  Register   Company,   The   Burroughs   Adding 
"^    Machine  Company,  The  Edison  Dictating  Machine  Company, 
and  other  big  concerns  which  have  solved  the  difficult  problem 
of  marketing  an  expensive  specialty  on  an  international  scale. 
Such  firms  as  these  could  not  possibly  sell  their  goods  through 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  civilized  world  if  their  sales 
depended  solely  upon  the  efforts  of  men  who  are  naturally 
salesmen.     They  have  been  compelled  to  take  the  average  man 
as  they  find  him,  train  him  in  the  methods  of  the  experienced 
-41    salesman,  and  then  try  him  out.     This  careful  preparation 
">-  enables  nine  men  out  of  ten  to  make  good  where  formerly  90 
/5^    per  cent  would  have  failed  if  left  to  their  own  devices.     Ex- 
perience  proves   that   whatever   natural   ability   a   man   may 
possess,  his  value  as  a  sales  producer  will  be  incomparably 
greater  if  he  is  trained  to  use  his  analytical  and  reasoning 
faculties  as  well  as  the  natural  intuition  of  the  born  salesman. 
The  object  of  this  book  is  to  present  an  analysis  of  sales- 
manship in  a  series  of  lessons  each  of  which  deals  with  a  dis- 
tinct phase  of  the  subject.     The  author  trusts  that  the  ex- 
perienced successful  salesman  who  works  largely  by  intuition 
will  read  the  book  with  interest  and  also  with  profit ;  that  the 
younger  salesman  who  analyzes  his  failures  and  is  always  striv- 
ing to  do  better  will  find  suggestions  that  he  can  profitably 

V 


VI 


PREFACE 


utilize ;  and  that  the  novice  who  assimilates  and  puts  into  prac- 
tice the  advice  given  in  these  pages  may  thereby  save  himself 
many  disappointments  and  set-backs  in  his  chosen  calling. 

It  so  happens  that  the  author  combines  a  varied  experience 
as  a  salesman,  with  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  difficulty  of 
teaching  salesmanship.  While  closely  allied  with  the  personal 
equation,  salesmanship  is  also  dependent  upon  the  variables  of 
time,  circumstance,  and  the  mood  of  the  buyer.  Therefore, 
to  reduce  its  principles  to  a  practical  course  of  study  is  a 
task  of  unusual  complexity.  The  author  as  Instructor  of 
Salesmanship  in  the  College  of  Business  Administration  at 
Boston  University  has  felt  keenly  the  need  of  a  book  which 
would  reduce  this  complexity  of  time,  mood,  knack,  and  per- 
sonality to  a  practical  course  of  study  which  should  prove  its 
value  in  the  school  of  experience. 

The  present  book  is  an  effort  to  meet  this  need.  Its  aim  is 
to  make  the  study  of  salesmanship  as  practical,  interesting,  and 
definite  as  possible.  To  this  end  definite  means  are  suggested 
for  the  attainment  of  definite  ends.  The  theory  of  the  subject 
is  advanced  with  careful  consideration  of  its  practical  applica- 
tion. "Practice,  practice — and  yet  more  practice,"  may  be 
the  formula  for  success  in  any  art,  and  the  art  of  the  sales- 
man is  no  exception  to  this  rule.  But  the  more  this  practice 
is  intelligently  directed  by  theory  which  appeals  to  reason  and 
to  common  sense,  the  more  rapidly  will  the  desired  goal  of 
success  be  attained. 

Harold  Whitehead 
Boston,  Mass., 

October  25,  19 17. 


CONTENTS 


Part  I — Preparing  to  Meet  the  Customer 
Chapter  Page 

I    The  Study  and  Practice  of  the  Art  of  Salesman-  i^ 

SHIP 3 

§  I.     Selling  Success  Means  Business  Success 

2.  The    Value    of     the     Salesman's     AIl-Round 

Training 

3.  Universal  Need  of  Salesmanship  Qualifications 

4.  What  You  Need  as  a  Salesman 

5.  Why  Salesmanship  Is  Necessary 

6.  The  Function  of  the  Salesman 

7.  An  Improved  Method  of  Studying  Salesman- 

ship 

8.  A   Practical  Course  of   Study  Which   Brings 

Results 

9.  The    Handicap    of    Working    Without    Study 

and  Training 

II     Motives  Behind  All  Buying i^ 

§  ID.  Motives  that  Influence  Action 

11.  The  Salesman's  Appeal  to  Motive 

12.  Example  of  Appeal  to  Different  Motives 

13.  The    Instinctive  Basis  of  Every  Sale 

14.  The  Desire   for  Gain 

15.  The  Desire  to  Excel 

16.  The  Appeal  to  Caution 

17.  Desire  for  Knowledge 

18.  The  Appeal  to  Imitation 

19.  The  Appeal  to  Affection 

20.  Love  of  Praise 

21.  The  Pleasure  of  Possession 

22.  Appeal  to  as  Many  Instincts  as  Possible 

23.  Which  Instincts  to  Appeal  to 

III    Attitudes  of  Buyer  and  Salesman 25  ^ 

§  24.     The  Classification  of  Buyers 
25.    The  Wholesale  Buyer 

vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

26.  The  Problem  of  the  Wholesale  Buyer 

27.  The  Attitude  of  the  Wholesale  Buyer 

28.  Salesman's  Attitude  Toward  Wholesale  Buyers 

29.  The  Buyer's   Particular  Trade  Must  be  Con- 

sidered 

30.  The  Specialty  Buyer 

31.  Salesman's  Attitude  Toward  Specialty  Buyers, 

Class  A 

32.  Salesman's  Attitude  Toward  Specialty  Buyers, 

Class  B 

33.  Summary 

IV    The  Preparation  of  the  Selling  Talk    ....       33  ^^ 
r^  §  34.     Analysis  of  the  Talking  Point 

35.  Constructing     the     Sales     Argument     for     a 

Wholesale  Sale 

36.  The  Appeal  to  Profit 

37.  Demand 

38.  Price 

39.  Terms 

40.  Service 

41.  Reputation 

42.  Ingredients 

43.  Palatability 

44.  Every  Proposition  Has  Its  Talking  Points 

45.  The  Talking  Points  of  a  Specialty 

46.  Analysis  of  Goods  Not  Needed  for  a  Retail 

Sale 

47.  Method  of  Learning  Arguments 

48.  Advantages  of  Learning  Arguments  Verbatim 

49.  Summary 

V    The  Customer's  Mental  Journey 45  ^ 

§  50.  The  Mental  Stages 

51.  The  Alental  Stages  in  a  Retail  Sale 

52.  Attention 

53.  Securing  Attention  by  Mail 

54.  Interest 

55.  Desire 

56.  Action 

57.  Why  the  Customer  Vacillates 

58.  Summary 


CONTENTS  ix 

Chapter  Page 

VI    Modes  and  Methods  of  Arousing  Interest  ...       52 

§  59.  The  Manner  of  the  Salesman 

60.  Illustrative  Methods 

61.  The  Enthusiastic  Method   " 

62.  The  Simple,  Straightforward  Method 

63.  The  Demonstration  Method 

64.  Demonstration  of  Food 

65.  Demonstration  in  a  Retail  Store 

66.  First  Impressions  of  Goods  Important 

67.  Carefulness  in  Displaying 

68.  Connecting     Selling     Talk     with     Prospect's 

Interest 

69.  The  Connecting  Link  May  be  a  Name 

70.  Arousing  Interest  by  Appealing  to  Curiosity 

71.  Example  of  an  Appeal  to  Curiosity 
^2.    The  Flank  Approach 

T2>-    Variations  of  Flank  Approach 

74.  Do  Not  Make  It  Easy  to  Say  "No" 

75.  Summary 

VII    Interesting  the  Retail  Customer 66 

§  "jd.     The  Problem  of  the  Retail  Salesperson 
^y.    The    Attitude    of    the    Salesperson    Must    be 
Positive 

78.  Methods  of  Interesting  the  Shopper 

79.  Selling    Something    Other    Than    the    Article 

Asked  For 

80.  Superiority  Should  Not  be  Claimed  Without 

Proof 

81.  Selling  Another  Brand  Without  Substitution 

82.  The  Customer  Who  Is  "Just  Looking  Around" 

83.  Avoid  Asking  Many  Questions 

84.  Avoid  Mentioning  Prices 

85.  Finding  the  Price  Limit 

86.  Show  the  Largest  Sized  Packages 

87.  Avoid  Telling  Size 

88.  The  General   Attitude  of   the  Retail   Sales- 

person 

VIII     Vividness  of  Mental  Impressions TJ 

§  89.     Sales  Argument  Must  be  Clear  and  Definite 
90.    Details  of  Argument  Must  be  Logically  Ar- 
ranged 


25  :ONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

91.  Definiteness  of  Statement 

92.  Use  of  Similes  and  Metaphors 

93.  The  Construction  of  Similes  and  Metaphors 

94.  Reasoning  by  Analogy 

95.  Comparative      Statements      Strengthened     by 

Analogy 

96.  The   Usefulness    of   Analogy    in    Combating 

Illogical  Arguments 

97.  Suggestions     for     Strengthening     the     Sales 

Argument 

IX     Winning  the  Interview 85  «/ 

§98.  To  Break  In  Is  Often  Half  the  Battle 

99.  One  Definite  Rule  You  Can  Always  Apply 

100.  Reasons  Why  the  Buyer  Refuses  an   Inter- 
view 

loi.  When  to  Force  an  Interview 

102.  Polite  Insistence  Always  Worth  a  Trial 

103.  When     to     Avoid     Mentioning     Nature     of 

Business 

104.  Ask  for  an  Interview  with  a  Definite  Person 

105.  Ask  for  an  Interview  as  if  Expected 

106.  The  Adroit  Use  of  Samples 

107.  Heroic  Methods  Sometimes  Needed 

108.  The  Nerve  of  a  Book  Salesman 

109.  Sheer  Nerve  Sometimes  Wins  Out 

X    The  Generalship  of  the  Preapproach     ....       97 

§110.     The  Value  of  a  Few  Definite  Facts  About 
the  Prospect 

111.  How  the  Specialty  Salesman  Makes  a  Pre- 

approach 

112.  Metaphorical  Definition  of  Preapproach 

113.  Illustrations  of  the  Value  of  the  Preapproach 

114.  Useful  Information  for  the  Retail  Salesman 

115.  Try  to  Find  Out  the  Customer's  Name 

116.  Ascertain  the  Quantity  of  Goods  Used 

117.  Where    the    Neglect    of    the     Preapproach 

Proved  Fatal 

118.  The  Preapproach  Essential  Before  Estimating 

119.  Summary  to  Part  I 


CONTENTS  xi 

Part  II — In  Contact  with  the  Customer 
Chapter  Page 

XI    The  Delivery  of  the  Sales  Talk  as  a  Whole  .     .     107 

§  120.  The  Complete  Sales  Talk  Must  Be  Flexible 

121.  Disadvantages  of  Cast-iron  Sales  Canvass 

122.  The  Language  and  Style  of  the  Sales  Talk 

123.  Hov;^  to  Make  the  Sales  Talk  Convincing 

124.  Meeting  the  Objections  of  the  Buyer 

125.  Securing  the  Customer's  Assent  to  Claims 

126.  How  to  Build  Up  a  Strong  Claim  Step  by 

Step 

127.  The  Time  for  Silence 

128.  Put  Yourself  in  the  Buyer's  Place 

129.  Hold  the  Primary  Object  in  View 

XII    Things  TO  Remember  IN  Opening  THE  Interview    .     116    „.^ 
§  130.     Make  a  Good  First  Impression  on  the  Buyer 

131.  Appearance  in  Selling  a  Specialty 

132.  Insist  Upon  the   Customer's   Undivided  At- 

tention 

133.  How  to  Patch  Up  a  Broken  Interview 

134.  Handling  the  Customer  with  a  Grouch 

135.  Never  Apologize  for  Taking  Up  a  Prospect's 

Time 

136.  The  Use  of  a  Business  Card 

137.  When  to  Shake  Hands 

138.  The  Correct  Use  of  "Sir"  and  "Madam" 

139.  Helping    the     Customer    Who    Is    Looking 

Around 

140.  How  to  Handle  More  Than  One  Customer 

XIII     Things  to  Remember  in  the  Body  of  the  Inter- 
view              125     m/ 

§  141.     Things  that  Jolt  the  Harmony  of  an  Inter- 
view 

142.  Make  the  Argument  Applicable  to  Prospect's 

Needs 

143.  Avoid  Mentioning  Competitors 

144.  When  Comparisons  Are  Permissible 

145.  Competition   May  be   Mentioned   when  Ex- 

pected 

146.  When  Demonstration  Is  Essential 


xij  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Pack 

147.     Let  the  Customer  Handle  the  Goods 


148, 
149 
150. 
151 
152 
153 


The  Importance  of   Asking  Questions 
Developing  Confidence  in  the  Buyer 
The  Use  of  Testimonials 
Where  Testimonials  Are  Most  Useful 
When  to  Use  Testimonials 
Following  Up  the  First  Visit 


XIV    DiFFERENt  Types  of  Customers  and  How  to  Deal 

WITH  Them 138 

§  154.     Sizing  Up  the  Buyer 

155.  How  Temperament  Modifies  the  Customer's 

Attitude 

156.  Argument    Must    be    Adapted    to    Tempera- 

ment 

157.  Illustration  of  the  Importance  of  the  Differ- 

ent Methods 

158.  Futility  of  Arbitrary  Classification 

159.  The     Easy-Going,     Good-Natured    Type    of 

Buyer 

160.  The  Cold,  Critical  Buyer 

161.  Do  Not  Teach  the  Buyer  His  Own  Business 

162.  The  Self-important  Type  of  Buyer 

163.  Other  Types  of  Buyers 

XV    Characteristic  Retail  Types 147 

§  164.     When  the  Study  of  Retail  Types  Is  Useful 

165.  The    Nervous.   Irritable,    Querulous    Shopper 

166.  The  Handling  of  the  Querulous  Shopper 

167.  The  Irresolute,  Garrulous  Shopper 

168.  Summary 

XVI    Objections  and  How  to  Answer  Them     ....     153 

§  169.  Meeting  Objections  a  Necessary  Study 

170.  Never  Openly  Contradict  the  Buyer 

171.  The  Mental  Indecision  of  the  Buj'er 

172.  Two  Kinds  of  Objections 

173.  Answering  Objections  and  Excuses 

174.  Meeting  Objections  as  to  Quality 

175.  Meeting  Objections  as  to  Price 

176.  "We  Are  Stocked  Up  to  the  Limit" 


CONTENTS  xiii 

Chapter  Page 

177.  "We  Are  Well    Satisfied    with    Our    Present 

Connections" 

178.  "No  Room  for  a  New  Line" 

179.  Meeting  the  Pessimistic  Mood 

180.  Objections  on  the  Score  of  Taste 

181.  Combating    a     Positive     Statement    that     Is 

Erroneous 

182.  The  Objection  of  the  Disgruntled  Customer 

XVII     Excuses  and  How  to  Meet  Them 166 

-  §  183.     Introductory 

184.  "I  Can't  Afford  It" 

185.  Examples   of   Meeting  the   Excuse   "I   Can't 

Afford  It" 

186.  Offering  Easy  Terms  of  Payment 

187.  "I'm  Too  Busy  to  Decide  Now" 

188.  "Too  Busy  to  Talk  with  You  Now" 

189.  "I'll  Have  to  Think  it  Over" 

190.  "Suppose  You  Call  Again" 

191.  "Stop  In  on  Your  Next  Trip  and   Perhaps 

We'll   Do  Business" 

192.  Talk  from  the  Customer's  Viewpoint 

193.  Finding  a  Point  of  Agreement 

A    XVIII    The  Diplomacy  of  the  Close 176 

§  194.  The  Difficulty  of  Landing  the  Order 

195.  The  Psychological  Moment  to  Close 

196.  Closing  Merely  the  Final  Decision 

197.  Assume  that  the  Order  Will  be  Given 

198.  Avoid  the  Negative  Question  Close 

199.  Positive  Assertions  Help  the  Close 

200.  Picture  the  Customer  Using  the  Goods 

201.  Example  of  Appealing  to  the  Imagination 

202.  When  a  First  Attempt  to  Close  Fails 

203.  Example  of  a  Change  of  Tactics 

204.  The  Final  Closing  Argument 

XIX     Things  to  Remember  When  Closing 187 

§205.    The  Importance  of  Managing  the  Interview 

206.  Keeping  the  Prospect  on  the  Track 

207.  How  Much  to  Sell  When  Closing 


XIV 

Chapter 


CONTENTS 

Page 

208.  When  to  Sell  the  Whole  Line 

209.  Closing  with  a  Cautious,  Doubting  Buyer 

210.  The  Signing  of  a  Contract 

211.  Rebates  and  Discounts  at  the  Close 

212.  When  Obstacles  Arise  to  Prevent  a  Sale 

213.  An  Example  of  Resource  in  Closing 


Part  III — The  Salesman's  Post-Graduate  Course 

XX     Friendly  Relations  with  the  Buyer     ....     199 

§  214.  Friendship    Often    an    Essential    Factor    in 
Making  Sales 

215.  The  Importance  of  First  Impressions 

216.  Geniality  the  First  Essential 

217.  How  Geniality  Can  Be  Revealed 

218.  The  Importance  of  "Service-Plus" 

219.  Examples  of  Service-Plus 

220.  Reveal  Interest  in  What  Others  Do 

221.  Look  for  a  Ground  of  Common  Interest 

222.  Topics  of  the  Day  a  Point  of  Contact 

223.  The  Salesman  as  a  Source  of  Information 

224.  Friendly  Relations  in  the  Retail  Field 

225.  Summary 

XXI     The  Retail  Satisfaction  that  Creates  Good-Will    209 
§  226.     The  Importance  of  Retail  Good-Will 

227.  The  Study  of  the  Art  of  Giving  Satisfaction 

228.  Things  the  Salesperson  Must  Refrain  from 

Doing 

229.  Positive  Things  the  Salesperson  Can  Do 

230.  The  Salesperson  and  the  Service  of  the  Store 

231.  The  Goods  Must  Give  Satisfaction 

232.  The  Result  of  Truthfulness  of  Statement 

233.  Complaints  About  Unsatisfactory  Goods 

234.  Superficial  Study  Kills  Enthusiasm 

235.  The  Clerical  Work  of  the  Salesperson 

236.  Acquiring  the  Habit  of  Concentration 

237.  All  Customers  Must  be  Treated  Alike 

238.  Try  to  Help  the  Customer 

239.  Be  Patient  with  the  Customer 


CONTENTS  XV 

Chapter  Page 

XXII    The  Knowledge  THAT  Gives  Breadth  .     ....     221 
§  240.    The  Growing  Importance  of  the  Man  Who 
Knows 

241.  Necessity  for  Knowledge 

242.  Know  Your  House  and  Its  History 

243.  Knowledge  of  Processes  of  Manufacture 

244.  The    Expert    Knowledge    Demanded    by    a 

Motor  Truck  Concern 

245.  Schools     of     Salesmanship     for     Specialty 

Selling 

246.  Special  Knowledge  of  Goods 

247.  The  Special  Knowledge  of  the  Expert 

248.  Knowledge  of  Competing  Goods 

249.  Knowledge  for  the  Retail  Salesperson 

250.  Sources  of  Information 

251.  The  Acquirement  of  Knowledge   Is  Always 

Worth  While 

252.  The  Retail  Salesman  Must  Know  His  Stock 

253.  Knowledge     Helps     to     Make     Sales     Talk 

Interesting 

254.  The   Use   of    Eyes   and    Ears   in  Acquiring 

Knowledge 

255.  Summary 

XXIII  Selling  at  Wholesale  Illustrated  .     .     .     .     .     233 

§  256.     Introduction 
257.     Characters  and  Setting 

XXIV  A  Specialty  Sale  Illustrated 241 

§  258.     Introduction 
259.     Characters  and  Setting 

XXV    A  Retail  Sale  Illustrated 250 

§  260.     Introduction 
261.     Characters  and  Setting 


Part  IV— The  Cultivation  of  Character 

XXVI    The  Make-Up  of  Personality 259 

§  262.    The  Salesman's  All-Round  Development 

263.  The  Effect  of  Personality 

264.  The  Indefinable     Thing     Termed     "Person- 

ality" 


xvi  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

265.  How  Personality  Can  be  Developed 

266.  Why  the  Study  of   Personality  Comes  Last 

267.  How  to  Make  the  Study  Practical 

XXVn    The  Leaven  of  Enthusiasm 264 

§  268.    "Pep    and    Ginger"    the    Sparkle    of    Sales- 
manship 

269.  The  Contagious  Effect  of  Enthusiasm 

270.  Enthusiasm  Breaks  Down  Opposition 

271.  The  Effect  of   Enthusiasm   Upon  Tempera- 

ment 

272.  Loyalty  and  Belief  in  One's  House 

273.  Example  of  the  Result  of  Loyalty 

274.  Loyalty  Must  be  Revealed  in  Little  Things 

275.  How  to  Develop  Enthusiasm 

276.  Enthusiasm    the    Fruit    of    Confidence    and 

Belief 

277.  The  Reaction  of  Industry  on  Enthusiasm 

XXVIII    The  Happy  Habit  of  Industry 272 

§278.  Industry  the  Fly- Wheel  of  Enthusiasm 

279.  The  Effect  of  Industry  Upon  Temperament 

280.  Where  Lack  of  Self-Discipline  Proved  Fatal 

281.  The  Importance  of  the  Work  Habit  in  Sales- 

manship 

282.  The  Salesman  Who  Wants  Work  Can  Find  It 

283.  The  Result  of  Keeping  Always  At  It 

284.  Hints  for  Developing  the  Habit  of  Industry 

285.  Tackling  the  Hardest  Jobs  First 

286.  The  Importance  of  Foot  Work 

287.  The  Reaction  of  Industry  Upon  Enthusiasm 

and  Courage 

XXIX    The  Importance  of  Little  Things 280 

§  288.    Attention  to   Appearance   Is  Always  Worth 
While 

289.  The   Effect   of   Outward  Appearance  Upon 

Others 

290.  Effect  of  Dress  Upon  the  Salesman  Himself 

291.  Importance    of    Appearance    When    Selling 

a  Specialty 

292.  The  Handicap  of  Unconscious  Mannerisms 


CONTENTS  xvii 

Chapter  Page 

293.  Crudities  of  Speech 

294.  Examples  of  Mannerisms  in  Speech 

295.  Control  of  the  Voice 

296.  The  Control  and  Eradication  of  Unconscious 

Mannerisms 

XXX     The  Courtesy  that  Attracts  and  Pleases  .      .     .     288 

§  297.  A  Salesman's  Polish  and  Finish 

298.  The  Aspect  of  Courtesy  Termed  "Pohteness" 

299.  Example  of  the  Effect  of  Politeness 

300.  The  Politeness  of  the  Good  Listener 

301.  Courtesy  or  Consideration  for  Other  People 

302.  Aggressiveness    Should    be    Tempered    with 

Courtesy 

303.  Discourtesy  Should  Never  Be  Imitated 

304.  Acquirement  of  Courteous  Manners 

305.  Courtesy   Part  of   the   Salesman's    Stock   in 

Trade 

XXXI    The  Fire  of  Courage 296 

§  306.     Introduction 

307.  The  First  Aspect  of  Courage 

308.  The  Second  Aspect  of  Courage 

309.  Where  Quiet  Persistence  Made  Good 

310.  The  Specialty  Salesman  Must  Be  Persistent 

311.  The  Cause  and  Control  of  Fear 

312.  Adequate  Preparation  the  First  Essential 

313.  The  Importance  of  the  First  Sale 

314.  Truth  of  Statement  Gives  Courage 

315.  The  Effect  of  Untruth  on  the  Repeat  Order 

316.  Aim  at  Big  Game 

317.  The      Disciphne     of      Facing     Disagreeable 

Prospect '■■ 

318.  The    Self-Discipline    of    Courage    Produces 

Initiative 

319.  Example  of  Initiative 

320.  The  Exercise  of  Initiative  Develops  Faculty 

of  Judgment 

XXXII     Tact  the  Lubricant  of  the  Sales  Interview^  .      .     310 
§321.     Definition  of   Tact 
322.     Tact  Is  Revealed  in  Little  Things 


XVlll 

Chapter 


CONTENTS 


Page 


323.  The  Tactful  Salesman  Is  Never  Argumenta- 

tive 

324.  Tact  Essential  in  Breaking  Down  Prejudice 

325.  Tact  Senses  Hopeless  Antagonism 

326.  Tact  Recognizes  the  Hopeless  Prospect 

327.  Tact   in   Its  Negative  Aspect 

328.  Summary  of  Development  of  Personality 


Appendix 
Questions  and  Problems 318 


Principles  of  Salesmanship 


PART  I 
PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 


CHAPTER    I 

THE    STUDY   AND    PRACTICE    OF    THE    ART    OF 
SALESMANSHIP 

§  1.     Selling  Success  Means  Business  Success 

All-round  business  ability  can  be  developed  in  no  better 
way  than  by  a  close  study  of  salesmanship.  Study  your 
proposition  thoroughly  before  offering  it  for  sale,  and  the 
more  worth  while  you  find  it,  the  better  it  will  sell.  Even  if 
the  sale  of  a  particular  article  entails  little  more  than  mere 
order  taking  or  peddling,  that  experience  will  be  a  valuable 
one.  But  if  you  want  to  learn  your  weaknesses  and  eradicate 
them,  if  you  wish  to  find  out  your  crudities  and  tone  them 
down,  and  if  you  mean  to  develop  the  best  that  is  in  you,  select 
a  high-grade  proposition  that  demands  real  selling  ability  and 
then  stick  to  it  until  you  make  a  success  of  the  selling  game. 
The  man  who  trains  and  develops  himself  in  this  way  will  be 
trained  for  success  in  most  other  walks  of  life. 

This  is  a  sweeping  statement.  "The  writer  seems  to  claim 
a  bit  too  much  for  salesmanship,"  you  mentally  exclaim.  Let 
us  analyze  the  proposition. 

§  2.     The  Value  of  the  Salesman's  All-Round  Training 

Consider  the  qualifications  that  are  required  for  success  in 
salesmanship.  A  score  or  more  might  be  listed.  We  will  men- 
tion only  half  a  dozen. 

I.  First  of  all  a  salesman  must  acquire  accurate  and  ex- 
haustive knowledge  about  his  line.  No  salesman  can  know  too 
much  about  what  he  sells.    Whether  selling  a  complicated  prod- 

3 


4  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 

uct  such  as  a  piece  of  machinery,  a  large  and  varied  line  of 
staples,  or  some  kind  of  raw  material,  he  must  study  his  goods 
and  their  uses  until  he  has  the  knowledge  of  the  expert.  The 
man  who  in  addition  to  being  an  expert  in  any  line  is  also  a 
real  salesman  has  that  all-round  business  ability  allied  with 
knowledge  of  human  nature  which  are  needed  in  every  im- 
portant executive  position. 

2.  He  must  be  able  to  impart  his  knowledge  to  others 
logically  and  quickly.  To  do  this  he  must  have  the  ability  to 
concentrate  all  his  powers  and  faculties  upon  a  given  subject. 
The  man  of  discursive  speech  who  finds  it  hard  to  talk  to  the 
point  will  have  difficulty  in  arresting  and  holding  the  attention 
of  others. 

3.  He  must  have  tact  in  a  high  degree.  The  nature  of 
his  calling  demands  that  at  times  he  be  aggressive  or  insistent 
or  pertinacious.  When  in  the  presence  of  an  irritable  buyer 
or  a  buyer  whose  will  is  accustomed  to  dominate,  only  con- 
.summate  tact  will  prevent  a  clash  of  opposing  forces. 

4.  He  must  have  the  courage  to  press  his  offer  upon  the 
attention  of  those  who  are  indifferent  or  even  antagonistic. 
By  his  tact,  his  argument,  his  determination,  he  must  change 
their  attitude  of  mind. 

5.  He  must  have  sufficient  imagination  to  be  able  to  put 
himself  in  the  other  fellow's  place  and  picture  the  offer  from 
the  customer's  point  of  view.  Learning  to  meet  all  classes  of 
business  men  on  a  level  of  equality  and  broad  human  sympathy 
is  a  large  part  of  a  salesman's  training.  Without  imagination 
and  tact  he  cannot  create  that  unconscious  feeling  of  sympathy 
which  is  essential  for  success  in  a  competitive  field,  where  the 
personality  of  the  salesman  often  plays  an  important  part. 

6.  He  must  be  industrious  and  must  discipline  himself  in 
the  habit  of  industry  when  all  the  odds  are  against  him.  He 
works  alone.  He  lacks  the  incentive  of  the  time  clock  in  office 
or  factory  to  keep  him  steadily  at  the  daily  grind.    Unless  he 


STUDY  AND   PRACTICE  OF   SALESMANSHIP  5 

acquires  the  self-control  and  the  will  power  needed  to  force 
himself  to  stick  to  the  daily  grind  when  work  runs  against  the 
grain,  he  will  never  go  far  as  a  salesman. 

§  3.     Universal  Need  of  Salesmanship  Qualifications 

All  successful  enterprises  involve  salesmanship  in  one  form 
or  another. 

When  a  young  man  applies  for  his  first  position  he  is  a 
salesman.  He  tries  to  sell  in  the  best  market  his  personality 
plus  the  knowledge  and  training  he  has  acquired.  When  the 
young  doctor,  lawyer,  preacher,  or  journalist  starts  his  pro- 
fessional career  he  begins  as  a  salesman  selling  his  own  serv- 
ices. The  future  retail  or  wholesale  merchant  comes  to  con- 
trol the  selling  activities  of  others  after  proving  himself  in  the 
ranks  of  salesmanship.  The  manufacturer  who  fails  to  solve 
the  problem  of  distributing  and  selling  his  goods  (a  problem 
which  sometimes  is  more  difficult  in  its  solution  than  that  of 
production)  fails  in  his  enterprise. 

Other  things  being  equal,  success  in  all  these  different 
walks  of  life  depends  primarily  upon  salesmanship.  You  may 
be  an  expert  in  your  line,  you  may  have  a  special  fund  of 
knowledge,  you  may  be  of  exceptional  intellectual  ability;  but 
if  you  lack  any  of  the  essential  qualifications  of  salesmanship 
you  are  handicapped.  Your  success  in  any  career  will  be  likely 
to  be  mediocre. 

Such  being  the  qualifications  you  need  as  a  salesman  let 
us  now  consider  what  you  need  to  equip  yourself  for  a  career 
that  you  intend  to  make  into  something  more  than  a  temporary 
job. 

§  4.    What  You  Need  as  a  Salesman 

Salesmanship  is  a  mental  process.  You  cannot  use  force 
upon  a  buyer.    You  can  neither  hypnotize  him  nor  coax  him  to 


6       PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

buy  against  his  will.  Conviction  of  the  advantages  of  an  offer 
is  the  basis  of  every  sale.  Only  after  this  conviction  is  estab- 
lished, first  in  the  mind  of  the  salesman  and  second  in  the  mind 
of  the  buyer,  will  an  agreement  be  reached  or  the  order  se- 
cured. To  convince  yourself  you  must  have  a  thorough  know- 
ledge '^f  your  goods  and  the  technical  facts  of  the  business, 
supported  by  confidence  in  the  value  of  your  offer,  whether 
this  relates  to  goods  or  to  service. 

To  carry  conviction  to  the  mind  of  the  buyer  you  need  to  be 
equipped  with  arguments  in  favor  of  the  offer  and  with  argu- 
ments for  profiting  from  the  offer  now;  and  these  arguments 
must  be  sufficiently  varied  to  appeal  to  every  type  of  mind. 
You  also  need  to  have  at  your  command  an  apt  answer  to 
numberless  objections,  any  of  which  may  be  advanced  as  a 
reason  for  not  buying,  even  though  only  remotely  if  at  all  con- 
nected with  the  goods  or  offer. 

Finally,  to  carry  this  conviction  to  the  buyer's  mind  with 
the  least  effort  and  the  maximum  success  in  the  largest  possible 
nurnber  of  cases,  you  must  have  personality.  This  is  an  all- 
inclusive  term  which  comprises  manner,  appearance,  address, 
tact,  argumentative  skill,  and  the  force  and  strength  of  your 
character  as  a  whole.  Your  personality  must  be  such  that  it 
dominates  where  leadership  is  needed  or  reduces  to  calm  rea- 
sonableness where  irritation  and  prejudice  are  present  or  gives 
backbone  where  hesitation  and  procrastination  are  revealed. 
Your  manner  and  method  as  a  capable  salesman  must  be  such 
as  insensibly  attract  almost  every  type  of  buyer  and  in  no  case 
irritate  or  offend. 

Thus,  besides  having  an  exhaustive  knowledge  of  your 
goods  which  is  based  on  careful  analysis,  you  need  to  be  a  keen 
student  of  human  nature  and  to  have  the  introspective  faculty 
of  dissecting  and  analyzing  yourself.  Unless  you  develop  in 
this  threefold  way  you  cannot  make  the  most  as  a  salesman  of 
any  natural  ability  you  may  possess. 


STUDY  AND   PRACTICE  OF   SALESMANSHIP  7 

§  5.     Why  Salesmanship  Is  Necessary 

Salesmanship  may  be  defined  as  the  art  of  presenting  the 
advantages  of  an  offer  in  a  way  which  arouses  the  desire  to 
profit  by  it  and  leads  to  prompt  action. 

If  all  goods  were  standardized  and  if  they  were  made  only 
in  quantity  to  fill  an  existing  demand,  there  would  be  little  or 
no  need  for  salesmanship.  But  commodities  are  frequently 
produced  in  greater  quantity  than  is  needed  to  fill  the  existing 
demand.  Moreover  they  vary  in  price  and  utility.  It  becomes 
necessary  to  explain  the  reasons  for  these  variations  or  to  make 
clear  the  utility  of  a  new  product.  In  this  way  the  existing  de- 
mand is  filled  by  the  best  goods  that  are  made  for  the  purpose 
or  a  demand  is  created  for  new  goods. 

When  typewriters  were  first  introduced  the  customer  had 
to  be  shown  the  many  advantages  of  using  such  a  machine. 
He  had  to  be  taught  how  they  save  time,  energy,  and  money. 
This  aroused  the  desire  to  profit  from  their  use  and  so  a  de- 
mand for  typewriters  has  been  created.  When  naphtha  soap 
was  first  sold  the  housewife  had  to  be  taught  that  the  soap  will 
wash  clothes  in  cold  water  with  very  little  rubbing.  The  util- 
ity of  the  new  product  had  to  be  shown  and  proved.  The  same 
is  true  of  every  article  termed  a  specialty,  with  a  name  and 
identity  of  its  own,  as  distinguished  from  an  article  termed  a 
staple,  the  identity  of  which  is  lost  in  the  bulk.  If  a  new 
product  suitable,  say,  for  the  repairing  of  shoes,  were  placed 
on  the  market,  it  would  be  given  a  special  name,  salesmanship 
would  be  called  in  to  make  clear  the  advantages  of  this  specialty 
over  leather,  and  thus  a  demand  would  be  created. 

§  6.    The  Function  of  the  Salesman 

To  fill  an  existing  demand  with  the  best  goods  produced 
for  the  purpose  or  to  create  a  new  demand  for  new  products  is 
the  function  of  the  salesman. 

The  salesman  is  a  commercial  messenger  who  acts  as  a  link 


8  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 

between  various  organizations  concerned  in  the  distribution  of 
goods.  As  the  representative  of  the  manufacturer  he  may  visit 
the  wholesaler.  As  the  representative  of  the  wholesaler  he  may 
visit  the  retailer.  Or  he  may  carry  on  his  duties  behind  the 
counter  of  a  store.  Wherever  employed  his  function  is  to 
serve  as  a  medium  of  communication  between  producer,  dealer, 
and  consumer. 

§  7.     An  Improved  Method  of  Studying  Salesmanship 

The  study  of  salesmanship  has  often  been  presented  under 
three  heads — the  goods,  the  customer,  and  the  salesman  him- 
self. This  arrangement  has  heretofore  been  adhered  to  in 
nearly  every  work  on  salesmanship  that  aims  to  be  more  than 
a  collection  of  homilies  on  the  subject.  An  analysis  of  some 
kind  is  needed  in  order  to  reduce  a  subject  complicated  with 
so  many  variables  into  a  practical  course  of  instruction.  And 
the  above  analysis  seems  at  first  view  a  good  working  ar- 
rangement. 

In  practice,  however,  this  method  of  treating  the  subject 
presents  serious  difficulties.  For  one  thing  it  is  impossible 
arbitrarily  to  differentiate  the  study  of  the  goods  and  the  con- 
struction of  the  sales  talk  from  the  type  of  customer  to  whom 
the  goods  will  be  sold,  since  the  appeal  will  depend  as  much 
upon  the  buyer's  motive  for  making  the  purchase  as  upon  the 
description  of  the  goods  themselves.  In  some  forms  of  sales- 
manship a  description  of  the  goods  and  their  merits  is  of  com- 
paratively small  importance  as  compared  with  the  ability  to 
depict  the  advantages  of  an  offer  when  viewed  from  other 
aspects. 

Then  again  the  development  of  your  personality  cannot 
be  considered  as  a  thing  apart  from  your  every-day  work  of 
selling.  It  is  of  little  use  to  suggest  to  you  that  you  should 
cultivate  certain  essential  qualities  such  as  courage,  tact,  per- 
.tinacity,  courtesy,  and  what-not  unless  a  course  of  instruction. 


STUDY   AND   PRACTICE  OF   SALESMANSHIP  p 

can  be  mapped  out  which  will  dovetail  into  your  daily  work 
and  will  help  you  to  acquire  any  essential  trait  in  which  you 
may  feel  yourself  to  be  deficient. 

§  8.     A  Practical  Course  of  Study  Which  Brings  Results 

The  present  work  reduces  the  study  of  salesmanship  to 
a  more  definite  course  of  procedure  than  is  possible  under  the 
arbitrary  arrangement  previously  mentioned.  In  this  volume 
the  subject  is  divided  into  four  heads.  Under  the  first  head- 
ing "Preparing  to  Meet  the  Customer"  all  the  advice  which 
can  be  practically  applied  when  constructing  the  sales  argu- 
ment is  treated  in  a  few  comprehensive  chapters,  each  chapter 
representing  a  particular  phase  of  the  subject.  This  portion 
of  instruction  you  can  put  into  practical  operation  at  your  desk 
before  you  go  out  to  meet  your  customers.  Thus  many  of  the 
precepts  which  you  are  constantly  enjoined  to  bear  in  mind  and 
which  because  of  their  number  and  sometimes  contradictory 
nature  often  perplex  the  budding  salesman  will  have  become 
familiar,  so  that  they  may  be  taken  for  granted  when  the  time 
comes  to  face  your  customer. 

The  second  part  of  the  course  of  study  deals  with  certain 
details  of  your  attitude  and  bearing  toward  the  customer  or 
with  your  method  of  delivering  the  sales  talk.  They  are  things 
which  you  must  put  in  practice  when  in  contact  with  the  pros- 
pect but  many  of  them  can  be  rehearsed  beforehand.  To  the 
extent  that  the  rehearsal  is  conscientiously  practiced  they  will 
more  readily  recur  to  mind  and  be  more  automatically  utilized 
during  the  ordeal  of  facing  a  customer. 

After  constructing  the  sales  talk  and  acquiring  a  certain 
amount  of  experience  in  its  delivery  you  are  ready  for  a  post- 
graduate course.  This  takes  up  minor  details  with  which  the 
memory  need  not  be  burdened  while  acquiring  the  rudiments 
of  the  art  and  which  can  be  more  advantageously  studied  after 
you  have  plunged  into  the  game. 


lO  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 

The  final  part  of  your  training,  relating  to  personality,  is 
taken  up  as  the  last  aspect  of  the  course  of  study.  Only  after 
a  certain  amount  of  actual  selling  experience  will  you  realize 
wherein  lie  your  weaknesses  and  how  best  to  strengthen  them. 
This  phase  of  your  training  is  extremely  important  yet  it  is 
a  difficult  one  to  reduce  to  a  definite  course  of  study.  Usually 
the  subject  is  treated  in  a  series  of  interesting  essays  which 
while  they  contain  much  sound  advice  are  often  difficult  to 
apply  in  the  practical  school  of  experience.  In  this  work  an 
attempt  has  been  made  to  show  the  relationship  of  the  develop- 
ment of  certain  essential  traits  to  the  work  in  hand,  and  to  offer 
suggestions  as  to  how  you  can  acquire  these  attributes  or 
strengthen  them  where  they  are  weak  through  their  practical 
application  to  your  daily  problems. 

§  9.     The  Handicap  of  Working  Without  Study  and  Training 

With  this  preamble  the  bow  before  the  curtain  can  now  be 
completed.  It  is  profitless  to  waste  time  in  considering  whether 
salesmanship  has  yet  attained  the  dignity  of  a  science  or 
whether  you  as  a  salesman  must  be  born  and  not  made.  To 
talk  of  the  science  of  salesmanship  is  as  nonsensical  as  to 
talk  of  the  science  of  acting  or  the  science  of  debating.  The 
student  should  remember  rather  that  salesmanship  is  an  art. 
Like  the  forensic  art  of  the  advocate  at  the  bar  or  the  his- 
trionic art  of  the  actor  on  the  stage  it  demands  careful  prepar- 
ation if  the  first  attempts  are  to  be  anything  but  the  bungling 
and  crude  efforts  of  the  untrained  amateur. 

Some  men  are  born  advocates ;  others  are  born  actors.  Yet 
the  fact  remains  that  they  can  both  profit  immensely  by  a 
course  of  training  in  their  respective  callings.  A  man  who 
lacks  a  natural  gift  for  pleading  or  for  acting  may  yet  by  care- 
ful training  and  persistent  effort  develop  no  mean  ability  in 
either  direction. 

Exactly  the  same  rule  applies  to  you  as  a  salesman. 


STUDY   AND   PRACTICE   OF   SALESMANSHIP  n 

The  advocate  and  the  actor  must  put  the  theoretical  side 
of  their  study  to  practical  test  in  their  respective  callings.  So 
must  the  salesman.  Men  everywhere  have  to  be  developed  in 
the  school  of  experience.  But  the  salesman  who  for  this  rea- 
son elects  to  learn  only  in  that  hardest  of  all  schools,  is  as  ill- 
equipped  for  his  job  as  the  actor  who  braves  a  public  ordeal 
with  a  half-memorized  part  and  without  any  clear  notion  of 
what  he  is  going  to  do  or  say. 


CHAPTER    II 

MOTIVES  BEHIND  ALL  BUYING 

§  10.     Motives  that  Influence  Action 

Behind  every  human  action  there  is  a  motive.  We  all  have 
a  reason  for  buying — even  the  woman  who  is  "just  shopping." 
Some  of  these  motives  are  instinctive  and  elemental — the 
aforementioned  woman  "just  loves  shopping" — others  are  the 
fruit  of  careful  reflection  and  reasoning.  The  study  of  sales- 
manship begins  with  an  analysis  of  the  various  motives  which 
may  prompt  or  produce  the  desire  to  buy  in  one  case  and  may 
lead  to  a  refusal  in  another. 

Behind  every  purchase  there  are  two  conflicting  motives: 
an  instinctive  desire  to  possess  the  article  proffered  if  it  gives 
pleasure,  renders  a  profit,  or  serves  some  useful  purpose ;  and 
an  instinctive  reluctance  to  make  the  purchase  because  it  in- 
volves drawing  upon  our  reservoir  of  power,  symbolized  in 
money.  The  more  limited  this  reservoir  of  power  the  more 
cautious  we  are  in  drawing  upon  it.  If  by  nature  we  are  ex- 
tremely cautious  then  we  "just  hate  spending."  If  we  have 
the  means  to  spend  and  refuse  to  do  so  we  may  be  dubbed 
"tightwads"  or  be  described  as  "stingy"  or  "mean." 

Money  is  the  token  we  exchange  for  necessities,  comforts, 
luxury,  leisure,  and  the  labor  and  service  of  others.  The  art  of 
the  salesman  is  to  convince  the  buyer  by  means  of  graphic 
description  or  reasoned  argument  or  both,  that  the  offer  re- 
turns full  value  in  comfort,  luxury,  or  utility  for  the  expendi- 
ture involved.  He  creates  in  the  mind  of  the  buyer  a  strong 
and  vivid  mental  picture  of  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the 

12 


MOTIVES   BEHIND   ALL   BUYING 


13 


purchase  so  as  to  overcome  that  instinctive  reluctance  to  draw 
on  his  reservoir  of  power  which  all  experience  when  faced 
with  a  purchase  of  any  moment. 

Thus  the  motive  behind  every  purchase  is  the  satisfaction 
of  one  or  more  instinctive  desires.  A  merchant  buys  goods 
for  resale  to  satisfy  the  money-making  instinct ;  an  automobile 
is  bought  because  it  gives  pleasure  by  satisfying  the  instinctive 
desire  for  luxury  and  comfort,  or  because  it  appeals  to  the 
pride  of  possession,  or  perhaps  because  both  instincts  enter  into 
the  transaction. 

§  II.     The  Salesman's  Appeal  to  Motive 

The  aim  of  the  salesman  is  to  present  not  only  the  ad- 
vantages or  attractiveness  of  his  goods  in  a  convincing  manner 
but  to  arouse  in  the  mind  of  the  buyer  as  many  motives  as 
possible  for  making  the  purchase.  If  a  particular  motive 
seems  stronger  in  its  appeal  than  any  other  he  will,  of  course, 
lay  increased  stress  upon  that. 

From  the  many  arguments  in  favor  of  his  goods,  which 
shall  the  salesman  select?  If  he  is  selling  an  automobile,  shall 
he  base  his  appeal  on  the  fact  that  the  prospect  will  derive  great 
pleasure  from  motoring?  Or  shall  he  lay  stress  on  the  fact 
that  the  car  is  economical  to  operate  or  that  by  its  use  the  pros- 
pect will  be  able  to  conserve  his  time  ? 

Or  presume  that  the  commodity  in  question  is  a  suite  of 
expensive  mahogany  office  furniture.  Will  it  be  well  to  em- 
phasize the  pride  to  be  derived  from  its  possession,  or  will 
it  be  preferable  to  argue  that  the  elaborate  furniture  will 
reflect  its  owner's  prosperity  and  sound  business  standing  to 
his  customers  and  consequently  pay  for  itself  in  the  profits 
derived  from  prestige?  The  salesman  must  consider  these 
questions  in  the  preparation  of  his  various  sales  arguments 
no  less  than  he  must  analyze  his  proposition  so  as  to  make 
clear  its  advantages  from  every  viewpoint. 


14  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

§  12.     Example  of  Appeal  to  Different  Motives 

A  salesman  trying  to  sell  an  automobile  to  a  young  mar- 
ried man  interested  him  to  the  extent  of  making  an  appoint- 
ment for  a  trial  trip  in  a  car  similar  to  the  one  under  con- 
sideration. During  the  ride  the  customer  asked  several  ques- 
tions as  to  the  reliability  of  the  car,  the  chance  of  its  getting 
out  of  order,  and  the  cost  of  its  upkeep.  The  salesman 
based  his  argument  especially  on  an  appeal  to  caution  by  ex- 
plaining in  how  many  ways  every  component  part  of  the  car 
was  tested  before  the  complete  machine  was  assembled  and 
sent  out  on  the  road,  and  how  easily  and  inexpensively  repairs 
and  replacements  could  be  made  should  these  prove  necessary. 
The  prospect  seemed  to  be  almost  sold. 

A  few  days  later  the  salesman  heard  that  the  young  man 
had  practically  decided  to  buy  a  competing  car.  This  car 
while  fully  equal  to  his  own  in  mechanical  perfection  was 
inferior  to  it  in  the  beauty  of  its  design  and  the  style  of  its 
finish. 

Instead  of  interviewing  the  prospect  at  his  place  of  busi- 
ness, the  salesman  called  upon  him  during  the  evening  at 
his  home  and  interviewed  him  in  the  presence  of  his  wife. 
Drawing  her  into  the  conversation  he  appealed  to  her  motive 
of  pride  by  accentuating  the  stylish  appearance  of  his  car  as 
compared  with  that  of  his  competitor.  He  gave  also  the 
names  of  two  recent  purchasers  in  the  town  whose  wives 
were  prominent  figures  in  the  social  life  of  the  community. 
His  change  of  appeal  from  mechanical  perfection  as  a  means 
of  satisfying  the  instinct  of  caution  to  appearance  as  a  means 
of  satisfying  the  motive  of  pride  proved  effective  in  closing 
the  sale. 

§  13.     The  Instinctive  Basis  of  Every  Sale 

An  article  may  possess  obvious  advantages  or  points  of 
superiority  over  competing  goods;  but  a  sale  does  not  neces- 


MOTIVES    BEHIND    ALL   BUYING  1 5 

sarily  follow  when  these  are  drawn  to  the  attention  of  the 
buyer.  An  appeal  must  frequently  be  made  to  the  instinctive 
motives  which  influence  the  buyer  and  which  have  nothing  to 
do  with  a  description  of  the  goods,  before  the  final  decision 
to  buy  is  reached.  These  instincts  are  inherent  in  human 
nature  and  give  rise  to  desires.  We  naturally  desire  things 
that  give  pleasure  or  safeguard  from  danger,  things  that  add 
to  our  wealth  or  satisfy  our  pride;  we  like  to  emulate  people 
whom  we  respect  and  admire;  we  naturally  want  to  please 
those  whom  we  love. 

These  instinctive  motives  which  are  as  complex  as  human 
nature  itself  vary  with  the  kind  of  goods  bought,  the  char- 
acter of  the  buyer,  and  the  conditions  under  which  the  buyer 
and  seller  meet.  For  the  purpose  of  salesmanship  they  must  be 
analyzed  and  reduced  to  a  working  basis.  In  such  an  analysis 
as  this  it  will  suffice  to  consider  the  few  leading  motives; 
upon  one  or  more  of  these  the  sales  argument  can  always  be 
based.  The  merits  of  the  goods  are  rarely  sufficient  in  them- 
selves to  rouse  the  buying  motive  and  the  argument  is  strength- 
ened in  proportion  as  it  appeals  to  any  of  these  instincts. 

§  14.     The  Desire  for  Gain 

The  strongest  of  all  buying  motives  is  the  desire  for  gain. 
We  are  willing  to  spend  money  in  order  to  make  money. 
Therefore  this  is  the  most  dominant  of  all  commercial  in- 
stincts and  its  satisfaction  is  the  main  motive  which  actuates 
business. 

Offering  goods  for  resale  is  one  of  the  most  important 
branches  of  salesmanship.  When  such  a  sale  is  made  it  is 
advisable  to  show  what  will  be  gained  thereby.  The  gain  may 
be  direct,  as  in  the  case  of  the  merchant  buying  merchandise 
to  be  sold  at  an  advanced  price;  or  it  may  be  indirect,  as 
when  a  merchant  is  induced  to  invest  money  for  advertis- 
ing purposes.     The  strongest  form  of  this  appeal  is  present 


l6       PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

when  goods  arc  offered  at  a  reduced  price.  The  bargain  has 
an  attraction  all  its  own  and  will  often  secure  attention  when 
everything  else  has  failed. 

Whenever  a  sale  is  made  for  business  as  distinguished 
from  personal  use,  the  appeal  to  the  desire  for  gain  comes 
first  in  importance  and  is  the  primary  motive  on  which  the 
argument  should  be  based. 

§  15.    The  Desire  to  Excel 

A  natural  and  legitimate  pride  in  achievement  arouses 
in  all  the  desire  to  excel.  In  those  of  strong  character  it 
reveals  itself  as  ambition ;  in  weaker  mortals  it  degenerates 
into  vanity.  The  appeal  to  vanity  is  considered  under  §20, 
"Love  of  Praise."  Ambition  prompts  us  in  the  struggle 
to  amass  wealth,  to  win  promotion,  to  gain  power,  to  acquire 
learning.  This  instinct  may  reveal  itself  in  any  of  a  hundred 
different  ways.  However  revealed  it  is  a  motive  to  which 
an  appeal  can  be  made  either  directly  or  indirectly  in  the 
construction  of  almost  every  sales  argument. 

A  rare  painting  valued  at  $100,000  came  for  sale  to  the 
gallery  of  a  famous  art  dealer  whose  judgment  was  as  re- 
liable as  his  word.  He  promptly  invited  a  wealthy  patron 
who  was  at  that  time  forming  a  collection,  to  inspect  the 
painting.  The  picture  did  not  at  all  appeal  to  the  customer 
and  no  emphasis  on  beauty  of  line,  tone,  or  color  aroused 
interest.  The  assurance  of  the  dealer  that  the  painting  was 
well  worth  the  price  asked  proved  of  no  avail  and  the  sale 
seemed  lost  until  the  dealer  told  his  client  something  of  the 
history  of  the  artist.  He  dwelt  upon  the  latter's  high  repu- 
tation and  proved  that  other  works  by  him  were  housed  in 
the  illustrious  homes  of  European  nobility. 

The  appeal  to  artistic  excellence  and  to  confidence  in  the 
dealer's  judgment  failed ;  the  appeal  to  the  prestige  of  pos- 
session and  the  desire  to  excel  resulted  in  a  sale. 


MOTIVES   BEHIND   ALL   BUYING  17 

A  salesman  offering  an  educational  course  aroused  suffi- 
cient interest  in  the  subject  of  education  to  gain  the  ear  of 
his  prospect  but  the  young  man's  interest  proved  lukewarm 
and  passive.  The  problem  was  to  turn  this  apathetic  interest 
in  knowledge  into  an  active  desire  to  obtain  it  by  an  appeal  to 
latent  ambition. 

The  salesman  knew  that  one  or  two  friends  of  the  young 
man  were  studying  business  courses  in  order  to  prepare  them- 
selves for  bigger  things.  He  therefore  pictured  the  results 
of  their  efforts  and  contrasted  their  influence  and  progress 
in  the  future  with  the  probable  mediocrity  of  his  unambitious 
listener.  The  appeal  to  the  desire  to  excel  was  strong  enough 
to  effect  a  sale. 

§  16.     The  Appeal  to  Caution 

Caution  is  the  primary  motive  to  which  an  appeal  should 
be  made  in  the  sale  of  anything  which  guards  against  loss, 
injury,  or  danger.  Caution  is  the  main  spring  in  the  purchase 
of  all  forms  of  insurance.  The  father  of  a  family  wishes  to 
protect  his  wife  and  children  against  want  in  the  event  of  his 
death;  the  owner  of  a  house  takes  out  insurance  to  protect 
himself  against  loss  by  fire;  the  business  man  buys  bonds 
in  prosperous  times  to  provide  against  financial  difficulties 
in  hard  times.  The  desire  for  safety  may  in  some  cases  be 
a  stronger  motive  of  appeal  than  the  desire  for  gain.  A 
cautious  business  man  seeking  an  investment  would  be  in- 
clined to  buy  government  bonds  or  investments  yielding  a 
low  rate  of  return  which  would  assure  him  of  the  security  of 
his  money. 

This  instinct  may  sometimes  be  effectively  appealed  to 
with  goods  which  are  not  intended  directly  to  satisfy  it.  To 
illustrate,  a  salesman  called  at  a  dry-goods  store  and  offered 
an  exclusive  agency  for  a  certain  brand  of  hosiery.  The 
buyer  recognized  the  merits  of  the  line  and  the  desirability 


l8  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

of  the  agency,  but  his  caution  made  him  procrastinate.  To 
the  stereotyped  answer:  "I  don't  want  to  do  anything  about 
it  now,  but  I  may  a  little  later,"  the  salesman  replied: 

"We  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  you  handle  our  agency 
a  little  later,  Mr.  Jones,  if  it  is  still  open.  It  the  meantime 
you  can  have  no  objection  to  my  offering  the  proposition  to 
the  People's  Store." 

The  suggestion  that  an  opportunity  of  securing  a  possible 
and  highly  probable  advantage  over  him  might  be  offered  to 
the  merchant's  competitor,  sufficed  to  close  the  sale. 

In  another  instance  a  business  man  about  to  take  a  trip 
across  the  continent  was  approached  hy  a  representative  of 
one  of  the  transcontinental  railroads.  There  seemed  no  par- 
ticular reason  why  the  business  man  should  travel  over  the 
agent's  road.  In  conversation  the  agent  learned  that  the 
prospective  passenger  always  carried  accident  insurance  when 
traveling.  This  indicated  that  the  instinct  of  caution  was 
strongly  developed.  The  agent  therefore  laid  great  stress  on 
the  fact  that  his  road  had  not  met  with  a  serious  passenger 
train  accident  for  years.  This  information  sufficed  to  secure 
an  order  for  tickets. 

For  one  business  man  who  is  willing  to  take  chances  and 
throw  caution  to  the  winds  there  are  a  dozen  who  prefer  the 
safe  course.  Every  selling  argument  should  include  when 
possible  an  appeal  to  the  innate  cautiousness  of  human  nature. 

§  17.     Desire  for  Knowledge 

All  civilized  progress  is  due  to  the  desire  for  knowledge. 
Lacking  this  instinct  knowledge  would  have  been  gained  solely 
by  experience  and  nothing  would  have  been  developed  by 
scientific  experiment  and  study  based  on  knowledge  formerly 
acquired  and  preserved.  To  this  instinct  we  owe  printing 
and  the  widespread  sale  of  books.  It  prompts  us  in  the  ac- 
quisition of  miscellaneous  information  for  its  own  sake  apart 


MOTIVES   BEHIND   ALL   BUYING  ig 

from  any  use  to  which  the  information  may  be  put.  In  its 
crude  and  undeveloped  form  the  instinctive  desire  for  knowl- 
edge reveals  itself  as  curiosity. 

As  illustrations  of  the  potency  of  the  appeal  to  this  in- 
stinct in  suitable  cases,  consider  the  methods  of  the  salesman 
selling  educational  works  such  as  dictionaries,  encyclopedias, 
travelogues,  works  of  history,  and  so  on.  He  bases  his  argu- 
ment on  the  supposition  that  his  prospective  customers  are 
thirsting  for  the  information  contained  in  his  books.  When 
he  has  first  aroused  their  curiosity,  he  proves  to  their  satis- 
faction that  this  thirst  will  be  completely  assuaged  by  quot- 
ing interesting  extracts  from  the  work,  choosing  those  which 
tend  to  rouse  the  desire  for  further  knowledge. 

Frequently  the  appeal  to  curiosity  is  of  value  in  gaining 
an  interview  and  in  arousing  the  interest  of  an  indifferent 
buyer.  Many  salesmen  refuse  to  reveal  their  identity  or 
the  nature  of  their  business  at  the  start.  The  interview  is 
opened  with  a  suggestion  carefully  designed  to  awaken  a  de- 
sire for  more  information  about  the  subject.  This  method 
will  be  considered  more  in  detail  in  later  chapters. 

§  i8.    The  Appeal  to  Imitation 

We  often  do  things  because  others  do  them.  We  are  natur- 
ally imitative  from  birth.  The  child  first  learns  to  speak  in 
this  way.  This  inherent  tendency  to  imitate  others  explains 
the  vogue  of  fashion  and  style.  This  instinct  can  be  readily 
appealed  to  in  the  phrasing  of  the  sales  arguments. 

The  wealthy  art  patron  already  mentioned  was  finally  in- 
duced to  buy  the  rare  painting  by  the  instinctive  desire  to 
excel;  but  imitation — wanting  to  do  what  others  whom  he 
admired  or  envied  were  doing — primarily  led  to  the  form- 
ation of  an  art  collection  and  thus  to  the  purchase  in  question. 

One  man  buys  a  home  in  a  particular  place  because  sev- 
eral of  his  friends  have  done  so.     He  likes  to  live  among  his 


20  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

acquaintances.  A  cautious  person  decides  on  the  purchase 
of  a  particular  kind  of  automobile  because  he  knows  that 
many  others  have  bought  it.  This  inspires  confidence  in  the 
merits  of  the  machine.  Here  caution  and  the  desire  to  fol- 
low the  lead  of  others  are  equally  blended.  A  perfume  named 
after  a  popular  singer  may  find  a  ready  sale  because  it  is 
presumed  that  the  singer  uses  the  scent  and  an  appeal  is  thus 
made  to  the  imitative  instinct.  The  salesman  who  is  seeking 
to  advertise  his  goods  in  a  dealer's  window  frequently  ob- 
tains free  window  displays  by  appealing  to  this  motive.  If 
all  arguments  in  favor  of  putting  in  the  display  fail  to  win 
permission,  then  as  a  final  resource  the  dealer  is  shown  photo- 
graphs of  other  prominent  stores  which  have  made  profitable 
use  of  the  displays. 

The  majority  of  women  imitate  the  mode  of  living  or 
dress  or  the  actions  of  those  in  a  slightly  higher  social 
sphere.  The  retail  salesman  frequently  finds  it  advantageous 
to  remember  this  in  his  appeal.  If  he  is  selling  an  article 
of  wear  or  for  toilet  use,  for  example,  he  mentions  when 
possible  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Blank,  the  wife  of  the  bank  presi- 
dent, or  some  other  local  celebrity  uses  the  same  thing. 

A  customer  in  a  hardware  store  was  hesitating  between 
the  purchase  of  a  two-dollar  and  a  three-dollar  saw.  The 
salesman  thereupon  remarked  that  Mr.  Wilkins  had  been  in 
yesterday  and  bought  one  of  the  three-dollar  tools.  Mr.  Wil- 
kins was  well  known  to  the  customer  who  probably  relied 
upon  his  friend's  judgment.  The  more  expensive  article  was 
promptly  bought. 

The  appeal  to  imitation  can  be  most  effectively  made  either 
at  the  opening  of  an  interview  or  at  its  close  when  the  buyer 
reveals  indecision.  To  mention  the  name  of  a  customer  who 
has  just  bought  and  who  is  known  to  the  prospective  pur- 
chaser is  as  a  rule  an  effective  means  of  winning  the  ear  of 
an  indifferent  or  reluctant  prospect.      Similar  tactics  at  the 


MOTIVES    BEHIND    ALL   BUYING  21 

close  of  the  argument  will  frequently  transform  an  undecided 
prospect  into  a  satisfied  purchaser. 

§  19,     The  Appeal  to  Affection 

An  appeal  to  the  emotions  forms  as  a  rule  no  part  of  a 
business  interview.  In  consequence  the  above  form  of  appeal 
has  a  comparatively  limited  scope.  In  the  sale  of  certain  ar- 
ticles, however,  the  affections  cannot  be  ignored  as  a  means  of 
strengthening  the  argument.  The  prompting  of  this  instinct 
induces  the  purchase  of  something  for  those  we  love.  An 
obvious  example  is  a  mother,  who  when  passing  through  a  store 
is  easily  tempted  to  take  home  an  article  of  finery  or  a  toy 
for  her  child  if  an  aptly  phrased  show  card  suggests  the  pur- 
chase by  an  appeal  to  affection. 

An  effective  appeal  can  be  made  to  this  instinct  in  an- 
other way.  The  influence  of  a  friend,  a  wife,  or  a  mother,  is 
oftentimes  so  strong  that  it  dominates  the  actions  of  those 
they  love.  Where  the  salesman  can  add  such  an  influence  in 
favor  of  his  offer  to  his  other  arguments,  his  appeal  will  be 
proportionately  strengthened. 

When  any  representative  of  a  well-known  correspondence 
school  visits  the  home  of  a  prospect  he  tries  to  arrange  for 
the  wife  or  parent  to  be  present  at  the  interview.  His  selling 
problem  is  to  arouse  the  ambition  of  the  purchaser  to  the 
point  of  sacrificing  the  time  and  money  needed  to  buy  and 
study  a  correspondence  course  of  instruction.  The  advice  and 
urging  of  a  wife  or  parent  often  impel  the  prospect  to  en- 
roll when  the  arguments  of  the  salesman  have  failed.  Here 
the  motive  may  be  more  or  less  mixed  and  love  of  praise  and 
ambition  be  as  determining  factors  as  the  appeal  to  affection. 
Many  people  are  impelled  to  a  course  of  action  if  it  is  ex- 
pected to  result  in  some  benefit  to  those  they  love,  though  they 
remain  obdurate  if  the  benefit  to  be  derived  is  for  themselves 
alone. 


22       PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

§  20.     Love  of  Praise 

The  love  of  praise  is  inherent  in  human  nature.  In  its 
natural  form  it  is  revealed  as  ambition  and  desire  to  excel. 
In  its  exaggerated  form  it  degenerates  into  vanity  and  boast- 
fulness.  The  powerful  appeal  of  extreme  fashion  is  based 
on  vanity. 

A  business  man  about  to  refurnish  his  office  had  decided 
to  buy  a  plain,  inexpensive  oak  suite.  This  would  have  served 
his  purpose  admirably ;  but  when  the  salesman  vividly  pictured 
the  splendor  of  a  handsome  set  of  mahogany  furniture  and 
how  such  a  suite  would  be  admired  by  his  friends  and  cus- 
tomers the  business  man  was  willing  to  pay  double  the  price 
he  had  mentally  allotted  to  the  equipment. 

Many  a  customer  buys  a  more  expensive  automobile  than 
he  at  first  contemplates  when  the  salesman  pictures  the  im- 
pression such  a  car  will  make  upon  his  friends.  The  encyclo- 
pedia salesman  appeals  to  this  instinct  when  he  points  out  the 
pride  of  possession  and  the  gratification  afforded  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  such  a  handsome  and  literary  set  of  books  in  the 
home  bookcase. 

§  21.     The  Pleasure  of  Possession 

It  is  obvious  that  the  more  vividly  the  salesman  can  picture 
the  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  the  possession  of  anything, 
the  stronger  the  selling  argument  becomes.  This  pleasure 
may  range  from  the  quiet  satisfaction  of  possessing  such  a 
thing  as  an  enduring  and  perfect  tool  to  the  youthful  ecstacy 
of  owning  an  elaborate  and  much  longed  for  toy.  The  pleas- 
ure of  possession  can  be  most  frequently  appealed  to  when 
selling  to  the  final  consumer  and  is  a  form  of  sales  argument 
most  readily  applicable  to  selling  in  a  retail  store.  The  appeal 
to  this  instinct  is  considered  in  greater  detail  in  other  chapters 
deahng  with  retail  salesmanship. 


MOTIVES   BEHIND   ALL  BUYING  23 

§  22.     Appeal  to  as  Many  Instincts  as  Possible 

The  fact  that  a  strong  appeal  may  be  made  to  what  on 
the  surface  seems  the  most  powerful  of  all  buying  induce- 
ments does  not  necessarily  mean  that  if  this  argument  fails 
the  sale  cannot  be  made.  A  merchant  may  be  convinced  that 
an  article  offered  will  return  a  handsome  profit  and  be  well 
worth  handling.  But  if  he  is  already  overstocked  or  if  he 
is  short  of  capital  he  may  reject  the  offer  for  the  time  being 
and  concentrate  his  efforts  on  the  disposal  of  the  goods  on 
hand.  In  such  a  case  the  salesman  can  pave  the  way  for  a 
future  sale. 

An  automobile  salesman  may  have  pictured  the  pleasure  to 
be  derived  from  the  possession  of  a  motor  car,  he  may  have 
convinced  the  prospect  that  his  machine  is  as  mechanically 
perfect  as  such  a  piece  of  mechanism  can  be,  and  that  the 
cost  of  maintenance  and  operation  is  reduced  to  the  lowest 
possible  limit;  but  the  appeal  to  pleasure,  caution,  and  econ- 
omy may  fail  if  for  reasons  best  known  to  himself  the  pros- 
pective purchaser  has  decided  to  deny  himself  the  gratifi- 
cation of  owning  an  automobile.  In  such  a  case  the  enter- 
prising salesman  seeks  other  arguments  and  modes  of  appeal 
in  order  to  break  down  opposition.  Success  frequently  de- 
pends upon  resource  in  making  use  of  other  buying  motives 
when  the  obvious  arguments  have  failed. 

The  resourceful  automobile  salesman  already  mentioned 
had  vainly  tried  to  sell  a  luxurious  high-powered  car  to  a 
wealthy  customer  who  two  or  three  years  before  had  bought 
a  comparatively  inexpensive  runabout.  The  prospect  acknow- 
leged  that  the  high-powered  car  was  all  that  was  claimed, 
yet  he  remained  obdurate  despite  the  salesman's  varied  and 
eloquent  arguments. 

After  half  a  dozen  fruitless  interviews  the  salesman  de- 
termined to  appeal  to  an  instinct  which  he  had  so  far  neglected. 
He  fitted  the  car  in  question  with  an  old  set  of  tires  and 


24  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

drove  it  to  the  home  of  the  prospect  while  the  latter  was 
away  on  business.  He  then  invited  the  two  daughters  of  the 
house  to  take  a  trial  trip  in  the  car,  explaining  that  if  they 
would  add  their  influence  to  his  sales  argument  their  father 
would  probably  purchase  it.  A  trial  ride  followed  by  an 
evening's  filial  coaxing  brought  a  prompt  purchase. 

Here  the  salesman  based  his   final  appeal   on  affection. 
This  proved  effective  after  everything  else  had  failed. 

§  23.     Which  Instincts  to  Appeal  to 

The  aim  of  the  salesman  is  obviously  to  base  his  appeal 
on  those  instincts  which  are  presumed  to  exert  the  strongest 
influence  over  the  prospective  buyer.  In  selling  to  a  retail 
merchant  it  is  apparent  that  his  principal  motive  for  buying 
is  the  satisfaction  of  the  desire  for  profit.  In  selling  an  auto- 
mobile to  a  person  who  does  not  yet  own  one  but  who  can 
well  afford  the  price,  the  dominating  instinct  will  be  pleasure. 
In  selling  a  new  car  to  somebody  who  already  owns  one 
the  chief  motive  of  appeal  may  be  pride.  But,  as  has  been 
shown,  the  motive  which  most  influences  the  sale  may  not  al- 
ways be  the  apparent  one.  In  selling  life  insurance  the  satis- 
faction of  caution  and  affection  would  seem  to  be  the  prin- 
cipal form  of  appeal ;  yet  with  some  people  a  stronger  motive 
may  be  a  desire  for  gain.  The  fact  that  immediately  on  taking 
out  a  $5,000  policy  they  have  added  $5,000  to  their  estate  may 
appeal  to  their  instinct  for  saving. 

In  the  construction  of  his  various  sales  arguments  (see 
Chapter  IV)  the  salesman  should  aim  to  present  his  offer 
in  a  variety  of  ways  so  as  to  appeal  to  as  many  motives  as 
possible.  Then  in  the  presence  of  a  prospect  he  can  readily 
ascertain  the  most  potent  buying  motive  by  feeling  his  ground ; 
or  the  appeal  may  be  made  to  several  motives  in  an  endeavor 
to  ascertain  the  dominant  one,  thus  making  the  combined 
appeal  strong  enough  to  effect  the  sale. 


CHAPTER    III 

ATTITUDES    OP    BUYER    AND    SALESMAN 

§  24.     The  Classification  of  Buyers 

We  have  seen  that  in  the  construction  of  the  sales  argu- 
ment the  object  is  not  only  to  describe  the  goods  or  offer, 
but  also  to  appeal  to  and  arouse  as  many  buying  motives 
as  the  nature  of  the  goods  and  the  services  they  render  per- 
mit. From  this  it  follows  that  the  form  which  an  argument 
or  appeal  may  take  must  be  varied  to  suit  first  the  needs 
and  next  the  temperament  of  the  individual  customer. 

All  customers  fall  into  one  of  three  classes:  wholesale, 
specialty,  or  retail.  Each  class  has  a  different  general  men- 
tal attitude  toward  the  salesman  and  this  attitude  is  again 
modified  by  the  individual's  temperament.  In  this  chapter 
we  will  consider  the  needs  of  the  different  classes,  leaving 
for  discussion  in  Part  II  the  modifications  which  the  sales- 
man will  need  to  make  in  the  presentation  of  his  arguments 
to  appeal  to  the  temperament  of  the  individual  with  whom 
he  is  dealing. 

§  25.     The  Wholesale  Buyer 

The  buyer  at  wholesale  may  be  a  retail  merchant  or  a 
department  manager,  or  he  may  be  a  wholesaler's  buying 
representative,  commonly  called  a  jobber.  His  purpose  in 
buying  is  to  sell  again  at  a  profit.  Therefore  he  is  more  or 
less  a  professional  appraiser  of  values.  It  is  his  business 
to  scrutinize  every  offer  of  goods  with  a  view  to  selecting 
those  which  will  seem  most  attractive  from  the  viewpoint  of 
profit  and  prestige  to  the  customers  to  whom  he  must  resell 

25 


26       PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

the  goods.  He  is  interested  in  the  most  attractive  styles  or 
the  most  durable  qualities  or  both — solely  from  the  view- 
point of  the  profit  that  can  be  made  from  resale. 

The  retail  merchant's  attitude  is  the  same.  In  addition 
to  the  goods  he  needs  for  his  regular  trade  he  is  always  on 
the  look-out  for  articles  which  will  please  the  customers  to 
whom  he  caters  and  thus  enable  him  to  sell  more  goods  and 
make  more  profit. 

There  is,  then,  on  the  part  of  all  buyers  at  wholesale  an 
attitude  of  interest  in  any  offer  which  they  consider  may  be 
profitable  for  them  to  accept.  The  wholesaler  is  interested 
in  any  improvement  in  methods  of  manufacture;  new  pat- 
terns, styles,  designs  are  items  of  news  that  he  is  glad  to  hear 
about.  So  also  the  retailer  desires  to  be  shown  new  products 
or  new  lines  which  offer  him  a  better  value  or  greater  profit 
than  those  he  already  handles. 

§  26.     The  Problem  of  the  Wholesale  Buyer 

Because  buyers  at  wholesale  are  professional  buyers  and 
are  always  in  the  market  for  commodities  much  of  their  time 
is  taken  up  in  inspecting  salesmen's  samples.  A  score  or 
more  of  representatives  may  call  upon  a  buyer  every  week, 
depending  upon  the  size  of  the  concern  and  the  frequency  of 
its  purchases. 

A  large  drug  store,  for  example,  carries  thousands  of 
different  items.  Salesmen  from  many  wholesale  and  manu- 
facturing houses  call  upon  the  store's  buyer  hoping  to  secure 
his  business  in  lines  which  he  is  already  handling  and  which 
are  bought  from  other  concerns.  Other  salesmen  call  upon 
him  with  new  lines  and  try  to  induce  him  to  place  them  in 
stock  and  so  add  to  his  already  large  variety.  Each  sales- 
man offers  reasons,  more  or  less  good,  why  the  druggist 
should  either  add  the  new  line  to  his  stock  or  let  it  replace 
a  line  he  already  sells. 


ATTITUDES    OF   BUYER   AND    SALESMAN 


27 


Thus  from  a  great  variety  of  offerings  the  wholesale 
buyer  must  select  a  few  and  reject  many.  While  he  is  al- 
ways interested  in  inspecting  goods,  the  pressure  brought  to 
bear  upon  him  by  the  number  of  salesmen  soliciting  his  busi- 
ness is  such  that  he  cannot  afford  to  give  much  time  to  each 
salesman.     If  he  did  he  could  do  little  else. 

§  27.     The  Attitude  of  the  Wholesale  Buyer 

For  this  reason  the  wholesale  buyer  is  usually  reserved, 
cold,  and  slow  to  respond  to  the  efforts  of  the  salesman  with 
whom  he  has  not  yet  done  business.  His  time  is  so  largely 
taken  up  by  the  inspection  of  offerings  which  have  no  in- 
terest for  him  that  he  is  chary  of  giving  encouragement  until 
he  is  assured  that  the  goods  are  something  he  may  want. 
True,  the  salesman  may  be  offering  commodities  which  the 
buyer's  firm  sells  and  they  may  be  good  value;  but  the 
wholesaler  may  already  be  buying  similar  goods  from  some 
other  concern.  Unless  he  is  offered  a  lower  price  or  some 
other  obvious  inducement,  there  is  no  particular  reason  why 
he  should  favor  the  unknown  salesman  in  preference  to  his 
existing  connections.  He  therefore  resists  any  efforts  to  con- 
vince him  of  the  advantages  of  changing  his  connections. 

Wholesale  buyers  want  to  find  out  at  the  beginning  of 
the  interview  what  the  salesman  has  to  offer — "what  his 
proposition  is" — and  to  decide  immediately  whether  it  is 
worth  investigating.  In  the  majority  of  cases  they  are  ac- 
tively on  the  defensive.  They  look  for  objections  to  the 
goods  offered  and  for  reasons  why  they  should  not  buy. 
They  know  that  the  salesman  will  offer  plenty  of  arguments 
in  favor  of  buying. 

§  28.     Salesman's  Attitude  Toward  Wholesale  Buyers 

Thus  in  his  approach  to  wholesale  buyers  the  salesman 
will  find  little  encouragement  in  their  general  attitude.    They 


28       PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

will  be  mildy  suspicious,  cautious  in  revealing  interest,  and 
prepared  to  guard  themselves  against  encouraging  the  sales- 
man, however  attractive  the  offer  may  appear.  Unless  they 
decide  early  in  the  interview  that  the  proposition  is  of  in- 
terest to  them,  they  will  immediately  try  to  dismiss  the 
salesman.  The  readiness  with  which  an  interview  will  be 
granted  at  all  will  depend  upon  the  demands  made  upon  the 
buyer's  time  and  the  prestige  of  the  firm  represented  by  the 
salesman.  Suggestions  for  winning  an  interview  are  given 
in  Chapter  IX.  When  the  salesman  finally  comes  face  to  face 
with  his  custorrier  his  attitude  will  vary  widely.  In  the  pres- 
ence of  a  busy  wholesale  buyer  or  the  buyer  for  a  department 
in  a  large  store  every  effort  must  be  concentrated  on  proving 
at  the  start  that  the  salesman's  line  is  well  worth  the  buyer's 
inspection.  How  best  to  do  this  is  discussed  in  Chapter  XII. 
In  the  presence  of  the  small  retailer  or  a  buyer  whose  busi- 
ness is  largely  covered  by  the  salesman's  line,  the  salesman 
can  go  to  work  in  a  more  leisurely  manner.  Whatever  the 
method  adopted  a  point  to  bear  in  mind  always  is  that  the 
wholesale  buyer  is  not  governed  in  his  purchase  by  the  styles 
and  qualities  which  manufacturers  produce  for  the  country 
at  large;  he  is  influenced  wholly  by  his  personal  judgment 
as  to  the  wants  of  his  own  customers. 

§  29.     The  Buyer's  Particular  Trade  Must  Be  Considered 

The  appeal  to  the  motive  of  profit  is  strengthened  to  the 
degree  that  the  salesman  is  able  to  select  from  his  stock  one 
or  more  samples  that  will  appeal  strongly  to  the  class  of 
trade  to  which  the  buyer  caters.  To  do  this,  as  explained  in 
Chapter  X,  entails  careful  study  of  the  buyer's  needs,  of  the 
existing  stock  carried,  and  of  the  goods  and  methods  of  com- 
petitors. Equipped  with  this  information  the  salesman  can 
safely  be  insistent  that  certain  goods  be  given  a  trial  without 
any  fear  of  antagonizing  the  buyer.     When  addressing  an 


ATTITUDES    OF   BUYER   AND    SALESMAN 


29 


unknown  prospect  the  most  that  a  salesman  can  hope  for  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  is  to  insert  a  wedge  with  one  line  of 
goods  or  a  small  trial  order  of  his  whole  line.  Subsecjuent 
orders  then  depend  largely  on  the  fate  of  the  first  order  as 
exemplified  in  profit  and  turnover. 

The  salesman  should  be  more  insistent  both  upon  an  in- 
terview and  a  trial  order  when  selling  goods  with  a  seasonal 
appeal  or  a  limited  turnover  than  when  selling  staples  in 
every-day  demand.  The  reason  is  plain.  Only  from  two 
to  four  calls  a  year  will  be  necessary  for  goods  with  a  sea- 
sonal appeal,  whereas  orders  for  staples  will  need  to  be  taken 
just  as  frequently  as  these  are  consumed.  The  fact  that  the 
salesman  cannot  call  again  for  two  or  three  months  makes 
the  visit  of  greater  importance  than  a  weekly  or  monthly  call 
and  justifies  him  in  revealing  more  aggressiveness  and  in- 
sistence. 

For  example,  the  grocery  salesman  representing  a  jobber 
and  calling  upon  his  prospects  every  week  may,  without  neg- 
lecting to  present  the  merits  of  his  goods  if  opportunity 
offers,  be  well  advised  to  bend  his  first  efforts  toward  win- 
ning the  buyer's  good-will.  His  frequent  calls  should  in  time 
make  him  well  acquainted  with  his  prospects,  and  through 
the  mutual  friendliness  thus  established  he  may  in  time  secure 
an  order.  The  salesman  who  sees  his  prospects  only  three 
or  four  times  a  year  cannot  afford  to  devote  a  number  of 
visits  to  building  up  good-will,  the  importance  of  which  in- 
creases with  the  frequency  of  meetings  between  salesman  and 
buyer.  He  must  concentrate  on  securing  the  buyer's  imme- 
diate attention  for  the  offer  itself. 

§  30.     The  Specialty  Buyer 

Specialty  buyers  may  be  divided  into  two  classes:  (a) 
those  who  are  always  in  the  market  for  the  commodity 
offered;  (b)  those  who  seldom  need  the  commodity  offered — 


30 


PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 


or  to  whom  it  is  new.     For  convenience  we  will  designate 
these  as  Class  A  and  Class  B  respectively. 

Class  A  embraces  buyers  of  raw  materials  which  are  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  goods,  or  of  of^ce  and  factory  supplies 
which  need  continually  to  be  replenished. 

In  Class  B  we  may  group  all  buyers  of  articles  which 
from  their  nature  and  the  use  to  which  they  are  to  be  put, 
do  not  involve  an  early  repeat  order — exemplified  in  such 
articles  as  pianos,  books,  office  devices,  machinery,  and  so  on. 

Class  A.  The  attitude  of  buyers  belonging  to  this  class 
is  similar  to  that  of  wholesale  buyers.  They  are  offered 
something  they  are  constantly  buying.  While  the  purpose 
for  which  the  goods  are  bought  differs — i.e.,  wholesale  buyers 
buy  goods  for  resale,  while  the  specialty  buyers  of  Class  A 
buy  for  consumption — the  same  desire  exists  to  inspect  new 
goods  which  may  be  better  for  the  purpose  in  view  or  which 
may  be  more  economical  in  use.  The  user  of  lubricating  oil, 
for  example,  is  interested  in  any  oil  which  will  prove  more 
economical  in  keeping  his  machinery  in  good  running  order; 
the  furniture  manufacturer  is  glad  to  know  of  a  quality  of 
paint  or  varnish  which  will  improve  the  appearance  of  his 
furniture  or  save  time  or  money  in  operation,  a  new  paper 
which  can  be  used  with  greater  economy  attracts  the  pub- 
lisher or  printer.  In  short,  the  attitude  of  these  buyers  is 
one  of  general  interest  in  the  class  of  goods  which  they  use. 

Specialty  buyers  are  also  visited  by  salesmen  representing 
many  different  concerns,  each  seeking  business.  Experience 
has  taught  them  that  among  the  many  offers  they  receive 
few  are  worth  investigation;  so  like  wholesale  buyers,  they 
are  reserved,  cautious,  on  the  defensive,  and  not  inclined  to 
give  encouragement  until  they  are  sure  of  their  ground,  for 
they  know  that  a  salesman  who  has  been  encouraged  is  diffi- 
cult to  dismiss. 

Class  B.     Buyers  belonging  to  this  class  as  a  rule  have 


ATTITUDES   OF   BUYER   AND    SALESMAN 


31 


no  previous  interest  in  the  article  offered.  The  salesman 
offering  a  set  of  books,  a  new  office  appliance,  an  insurance 
policy,  finds  a  wall  of  indifference  facing  him.  His  prospects 
have  felt  no  need  for  his  goods  and  have  got  along  well 
enough  without  them.  There  is  neither  general  interest  in 
the  article  nor  curiosity  to  inspect  it.  The  business  man  ap- 
proached by  the  insurance  salesman  is  apt  to  be  even  antag- 
onistic. Until  he  begins  to  realize  something  of  the  benefits 
of  insurance  his  inclination  is  to  say  abruptly  to  the  sales- 
man, "No  thank  you,  I  am.  really  not  interested."  The  sales- 
man's task  is  to  break  down  this  indifference  which  in  some 
cases  may  take  the  form  of  latent  opposition. 

§  31.     Salesman's  Attitude  Toward  Specialty  Buyers,  Class  A 

There  is  no  royal  road  to  the  favor  of  the  specialty  buyer. 
Persistence  and  persistence  alone  counts  in  winning  an  inter- 
view and  permission  to  explain  the  merits  of  one's  goods. 
The  salesman  will,  of  course,  try  to  make  a  sale  on  his  first 
visit ;  but  even  if  he  does  not  succeed,  he  must  visit  the  buyer 
on  each  trip.  After  he  has  called  a  number  of  times  he  will 
probably  succeed  in  establishing  that  feeling  of  friendliness 
which  is  often  a  useful  preliminary  to  a  sale. 

Like  the  wholesale  salesman  who  calls  infrequently,  the 
specialty  salesman  is  justified  in  being  insistent,  not  to  say 
aggressive,  because  his  visit  then  assumes  a  certain  impor- 
tance in  the  buyer's  eyes.  He  may  make  his  long  trip  an 
excuse  for  persisting  in  the  attempt  to  obtain  an  immediate 
interview.  When  he  has  gained  the  interview  he  is  justified 
in  asking  for  an  immediate  decision  for  or  against  his  offer. 
On  both  sides  it  is  recognized  that  as  he  calls  only  once  in 
several  months  his  visit  is  relatively  more  important  than 
that  of  the  man  who  can  drop  in  every  week  or  two.  Such  a 
visit  deserves  greater  consideration  on  the  part  of  the  buyer 
and  calls  for  more  energy  on  the  part  of  the  salesman. 


32 


PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 


§  32.     Salesman's  Attitude  Toward  Specialty  Buyers,  Class  B 

The  specialty  salesman  catering  to  this  class  has  even 
more  inertia  to  overcome.  He  knows  that  the  buyer  has  no 
general  interest  in  the  product  predisposing  him  to  investi- 
gate the  salesman's  claims.  Selling  to  the  specialty  buyer 
who  is  ignorant  of  his  offer  requires  courage  and  persever- 
ance in  a  high  degree.  The  salesman  must  not  take  "No" 
too  easily.  His  manner  must  be  serious  and  enthusi- 
astically earnest.  He  must  be  primed  with  arguments  to 
appeal  to  many  varied  motives  and  temperaments.  He  must 
use  every  energy  in  gaining  the  buyer's  interest  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  interview  and  his  enthusiasm  must  be  great  enough 
to  secure  and  hold  attention  while  arguing  in  favor  of  his 
goods. 

§  33.     Summary 

Broadly  considered,  wholesale  selling  requires  persistence 
allied  with  the  ability  to  make  friends  and  to  radiate  good 
humor.  Specialty  selling  requires  persistence  combined  with 
enthusiastic  earnestness  and  profound  knowledge  of  the 
goods.  The  salesman  can  make  the  skeptical  buyer  believe 
in  his  offer  only  when  he  earnestly  believes  in  it  himself. 


CHAPTER    IV 

THE    PREPARATION    OF    THE    SELLING    TALK 

§  34.     Analysis  of  the  Talking  Point 

To  build  up  the  sales  argument  in  a  logical  way  so  that 
it  will  make  its  most  powerful  appeal,  the  nature  of  the  offer, 
whether  of  goods  or  of  service,  must  first  be  analyzed.  This 
analysis  will  reveal  those  special  features — often  called  "talk- 
ing points"  or  "points  of  contact" — which  can  be  elaborated 
so  as  to  appeal  to  as  many  varied  buying  motives  as  possible. 
Everything  sold  or  presumed  to  be  salable  has  these  talking 
points,  otherwise  it  is  an  obviously  inferior  product  and  un- 
worthy of  a  salesman's  attention.  The  task  is  to  weave  these 
various  talking  points  into  a  fluent  sales  talk  which  is  readily 
adaptable  to  every  situation  and  to  every  type  of  buyer. 

Each  talking  point  must  be  made  to  appeal  to  one  or 
more  definite  buying  motives.  The  salesman  marshals  these 
talking  points  and  presents  them  by  means  of  metaphor 
or  simile,  as  will  be  explained  in  Chapter  VIII,  in  a  way  to 
make  them  strike  the  imagination  of  the  buyer — and  stick  in 
the  mind. 

An  intricate,  expensive,  and  complicated  article  has  obvi- 
ously a  large  number  of  talking  points.  A  plain  and  simply 
constructed  article  in  every-day  use  may  seem  to  have  few. 
Analysis,  however,  will  reveal  that  much  can  be  said  about 
anything  offered  for  sale,  and  still  more  about  the  advantages 
of  any  offer  to  a  particular  buyer.  The  salesman's  problem 
lies  mainly  in  rejecting  points  which  are  insignificant.  Yet 
even  points  of  quite  secondary  importance  should  be  studied 
and  elaborated  into  arguments,  as  these  may  prove  efificacious 

33 


34  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

when  other  and   apparently   stronger   talking   points   fail   of 
effect. 

§  35.     Constructing  the  Sales  Arguments  for  a  Wholesale  Sale 

Let  us  take  as  our  first  example  for  analysis  that  prosaic 
every-day  article,  a  loaf  of  bread.  One  loaf  of  bread  looks 
much  like  another.  In  price,  shape,  appearance,  and  ingredi- 
ents it  is  practically  the  same  as  other  loaves.  Still,  if  a 
concern  bakes  bread  in  sufficient  quantity  to  warrant  the  em- 
ployment of  salesmen,  there  must  be  something  special  about 
its  loaves. 

Let  us  presume  that  the  bread  to  be  analyzed  is  a  special 
advertised  brand  called  White's  Cream  Bread,  retailing  at  the 
usual  price.  In  the  sale  of  such  a  product  as  bread  there  is 
no  sales  argument  that  competing  concerns  cannot  use. 
Nevertheless,  the  salesman  must  prepare  a  list  of  his  talking 
points  regardless  of  whether  these  are  used  by  competitors, 
as  the  arguments  may  not  be  known  to  his  customers.  Facts 
which  seem  obvious  to  one  person  may  be  new  and  interest- 
ing information  to  another. 

The  prospect  in  the  case  in  point  is  probably  a  retail 
grocer  who  buys  for  resale.  Therefore  the  talking  points 
that  will  appeal  to  him  must  first  of  all  be  based  on  his 
desire  for  gain.     A  list  of  these  is: 

Profit 

Demand 

Price 

Terms 

Service 

Other  instincts  that  might  be  appealed  to  in  a  less  degree 
are  imitation  and  caution. 

A  prospect  will  probably  be  influenced  in  placing  an  order 
if  the  fact  is  brought  to  his  attention  that  competing  grocers 


PREPARATION   OF  THE   SELLING  TALK 


35 


also  buy  the  bread.  If  the  bakery  enjoys  an  estabhshed  repu- 
tation the  satisfaction  of  caution  will  be  appealed  to  by  em- 
phasizing the  fact  that  the  bread  is  furnished  by  a  reputable 
and  well-known  concern. 

The  grocer  will  also  want  to  know  something  about  the 
processes  of  manufacture  so  that  he  can  explain  why  he  par- 
ticularly recommends  White's  Cream  Bread.  He  knows  that 
if  he  can  give  the  consumer  good  reasons  for  buying,  his 
sales  will  increase.  And  so  other  obvious  talking  points 'will 
be  those  relating  to  the  bread's 

Ingredients 
Nourishment 
Palatability 
Purity 

We  will  now  build  up  these  talking  points  into  argu- 
ments which  may  serve  as  "points  of  contact"  with  the 
grocer,  bearing  in  mind  that  these  little  talks  merely  illustrate 
the  salesman's  complete  equipment,  from  which  he  selects 
only  those  arguments  which  occasion  demands  or  which  he 
believes  will  make  the  strongest  appeal. 

§  36.     The  Appeal  to  Profit 

The  argument  appealing  to  the  dominant  motive  of 
profit  might  be  elaborated  in  this  way: 

"Your  bread  business,  Mr.  Jones,  should  be  the  most  im- 
portant department  of  your  store.  If  it  isn't  it  can  be  made 
into  the  most  important  department  for  these  reasons: 

"First,  you  may  not  realize  that  on  every  dollar's  worth 
of  bread  you  buy  daily  you  make  an  actual  profit  of  nearly 
$80  a  year.  Just  figure  it  out.  A  dollar's  worth  of  bread 
at  8  cents  a  loaf  means  roughly  twelve  loaves.  On  twelve 
loaves  you  are  making  a  profit  of  24  cents  a  day,  or  nearly 
$1.50  a  week,  which  is  $78  a  year.    As  you  do  not  pay  for 


36  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 

the  bread  until  it  is  sold  you  invest  no  money  in  producing 
this  $78. 

"Second,  when  your  customers  buy  bread  they  come  into 
daily  contact  with  your  store.  This  is  valuable  because  those 
who  now  come  into  the  store  only  occasionally,  when  they 
buy  bread  from  you  will  get  into  the  habit  of  visiting  your 
store  regularly.  Bread,  like  milk,  is  a  household  commodity 
that  the  consumer  must  order  daily.  Therefore,  to  handle 
a  well-known  reliable  brand  such  as  ours  must  increase  your 
business  by  creating  more  regular  customers  for  other  things 
besides  bread. 

"Suppose,  for  example,  the  housewife  who  trades  with 
you  runs  out  of  potatoes.  She  thinks  she  will  get  along  with- 
out them  for  the  day.  She  finds,  however,  that  she  is  run- 
ning short  of  bread  and  she  needs  another  loaf.  Conse- 
quently, she  rings  you  up  on  the  phone  or  sends  a  messenger 
or  calls  herself  to  ask  you  to  deliver  a  peck  of  potatoes,  per- 
haps some  sugar,  maybe  a  bag  of  flour,  together  with  the 
loaf  of  bread  she  needs.  Bread  may  thus  bring  far  more 
profit  into  your  store  than  you  get  from  its  sale.  Yet,  as 
before  explained,  you  can  make  as  much  as  $78  a  year  on 
every  dollar's  worth  you  buy  day  by  day  without  the  invest- 
ment of  a  single  cent  on  your  part.  You  see  the  importance 
of  handling  bread  and  especially  such  a  line  as  White's  Cream 
Bread  which,  once  tried,  is  invariably  used  again  and  again." 

§  37.     Demand 

The  argument  as  to  demand  naturally  follows  that  of 
profit.  Here  the  emphasis  can  be  laid  on  the  fact  that  to 
refuse  to  handle  a  brand  of  bread  for  which  a  demand  has 
been  created  is  to  refuse  business: 

"The  sale  of  White's  Cream  Bread  is  so  great  that  people 
of  this  community  expect  almost  every  grocer  to  keep  it.  The 
grocer  who  does  not  is   refusing  business.      You   see,    Mr. 


PREPARATION    OF   THE    SELLING   TALK 


37 


Jones,  we  have  been  advertising  this  bread  since  1875  ^"^ 
during  more  than  forty  years'  experience  as  bakers  we  have 
built  up  such  a  reputation  for  quaHty  that  many  people  insist 
upon  having  our  bread  and  no  other.  We  sell  two  thousand 
loaves  a  day  right  in  this  section  of  the  town  and  that  means 
a  loaf  every  day  to  every  second  family.  Many  of  your  cus- 
tomers who  come  into  your  store  only  occasionally  insist 
upon  White's  Bread  and  no  other.  If  you  don't  keep  it,  you 
simply  turn  away  business  in  many  other  lines." 

§  38.     Price 

Price  in  its  relation  to  profit  has  been  already  covered. 
The  dealer  may  be  thinking  that  he  can  make  more  profit 
by  selling  a  cheaper  brand  of  bread.  The  following  argu- 
ment meets  this  objection  before  it  is  made: 

"The  price  is  8  cents  a  loaf — the  usual  price  for  bread 
sold  at  wholesale.  We  cannot  offer  you  any  special  induce- 
ment as  to  price.  We  don't  think  it  is  a  good  thing  to  do  so. 
A  firm  that  offers  to  sell  you  a  loaf  of  bread  for  6  or  7  cents 
is  going  to  injure  your  business.  A  loaf  of  bread  of  the 
quality  of  ours  cannot  be  made  and  sold  for  a  profit  at  less 
than  8  cents.  A  loaf  at  a  lower  price  simply  means  cheaper 
ingredients;  it  lacks  the  palatability  of  our  bread;  it  fails  to 
please  customers;  and  in  the  end  you  lose  more  than  you 
might  gain  through  the  extra  cent  or  two  profit  on  each  loaf 
sold." 

§  39.     Terms 

The  terms  are  another  aspect  of  price  which  can  be  set 
forth  so  as  to  appeal  to  the  motive  of  profit: 

"You  make  a  settlement  of  our  account  once  a  week.  You 
will  have  sold  from  seven  to  ten  days'  supply  of  bread  before 
you  are  asked  to  pay  for  it.  Suppose  you  sell  fifty  loaves 
of  bread  a  day  (and  many  of  our  customers  sell  a  hundred), 

46727 


38  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

that  means  $5  a  day  income  or  roughly  $50  in  hand  before 
you  are  asked  to  settle  your  account.  Thus  instead  of  invest- 
ing any  money  in  stocking  our  goods,  we  really  loan  you  a 
certain  sum  in  cash  with  which  to  carry  on  your  business  for 
brief  periods." 

§  40.     Service 

Here  the  emphasis  can  be  laid  on  those  things  which  are 
done  to  help  the  dealer  sell  the  goods — and  thus  make  more 
profit : 

"We  give  two  deliveries  every  day — one  early  in  the 
morning  and  the  other  at  noon.  If  you  wish,  we  shall  be 
glad  to  supply  you  with  a  case  in  which  to  store  the  bread — 
an  attractive  piece  of  store  equipment  that  you  will  be  glad 
to  have  standing  on  your  counter. 

"As  you  have  not  yet  handled  our  line,  we  shall  be  glad 
to  help  you  create  a  demand  for  it.  If  you  will  give  us  the 
names  of  your  customers  we  will  send  out  advertising  postal 
cards,  each  one  good  for  a  loaf  of  our  bread  at  your  store. 
We  will  also,  if  you  wish,  supply  you  with  a  list  of  good 
class  people  in  your  district.  We  redeem  these  postal  cards 
from  you  at  the  regular  selling  price  of  10  cents  each.  This 
is  a  special  advertising  scheme  which  none  of  our  competitors 
ofifer.  Experience  has  proved  that  it  will  always  start  sales 
and  incidentally  will  bring  many  new  customers  into  your 
store." 

§41.     Reputation 

The  dealer  is  interested  in  the  bread's  reputation  only  so 
far  as  this  helps  to  sell  more  bread.  Therefore  the  argument 
takes  the  following  form: 

"So  far,  Mr.  Jones,  we  have  considered  only  the  profit 
on  the  sale  of  our  bread.  Now  let  us  consider  in  how  many 
ways  our  bread  will  appeal  to  the  consumer  who  comes  into 


PREPARATION   OF   THE   SELLING  TALK 


39 


your  store  to  ask  for  it  because  she  knows  and  likes  our 
brand;  or  who  having  once  tried  our  brand  for  the  same 
reason  will  buy  it  again  and  again. 

"Our  concern  was  founded  in  1875  by  the  father  of  the 
present  manager.  His  idea  was  to  bake  the  best  bread  that 
could  possibly  be  baked  at  the  price.  That  idea  has  been 
lived  up  to  for  more  than  forty  years.  We  have  customers 
of  forty  years'  standing  on  our  books.  We  hold  them  be- 
cause we  satisfy  them,  etc.,  etc." 

§  42.     Ingredients 

The  eloquence  of  the  salesman  when  describing  the  prod- 
uct in  detail  need  be  limited  only  by  the  patience  of  the 
listener: 

"In  the  manufacture  of  White's  Cream  Bread  the  several 
thousand  quarts  of  milk  that  are  used  daily  are  supplied  from 
our  own  farm  in  order  to  insure  milk  with  the  real  creamy 
flavor.  Our  cows  are  pasture-fed  when  the  grass  is  green 
and  growing,  and  in  winter  they  are  housed  in  dairies  which 
are  as  bright  and  sanitary  as  a  new  pin.  Consequently, 
the  milk  that  goes  into  this  bread  is  milk  of  the  purest 
quality,  unskimmed,  rich,  creamy,  with  a  high  percentage  of 
'butter  fat.  To  let  you  into  a  trade  secret,  Mr.  Jones,  it  is 
the  use  of  milk  of  superior  quality  that  is  largely  the  secret 
of  finely  flavored  bread.  None  of  our  competitors  go  to  the 
trouble  of  securing  only  the  best  quality  of  milk  and  for  this 
reason  few  of  them  equal  us  in  this  matter  of  quality.  Many 
of  them  use  skimmed  milk  for  economy's  sake.  You  can't 
make  tasty  bread  from  skimmed  milk. 

"As  regards  the  flour  that  goes  into  this  bread,  we  cannot 
control  it  quite  to  the  extent  that  we  control  the  milk  supply. 
We  do,  however,  buy  only  high-grade  standard  brands  that 
have  a  reputation  behind  them  for  quality  and  in  this  way 
we  maintain  our  own  reputation." 


40 


PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 


§  43.     Palatability 

"The  ingredients  put  into  our  bread  make  it  more  pleas- 
ing to  the  taste  than  any  other  brand  which  does  not  enjoy 
the  same  advantages  in  its  sources  of  supply.  You  may  sell 
a  certain  amount  of  bread  or  any  other  food  by  advertising; 
but  what  sells  food  in  the  largest  quantity  in  the  long  run  is 
the  satisfied  palates  of  those  who  eat  it.  We  believe  our 
bread  pleases  the  palate  as  much  as  any  bread  can,  and  we 
know  we  please  a  larger  number  of  palates  in  this  town  than 
any  other  bread  manufacturer.  Just  try  our  brand  yourself, 
Mr.  Jones,  and  see  if  you  don't  agree  with  me.  ..." 

§  44.     Every  Proposition  Has  Its  Talking  Points 

Enough,  perhaps,  has  been  written  about  this  special 
brand  of  bread.  The  reader  may  object  that  the  article 
chosen  for  analysis  is  a  standard  article  with  a  history  and  a 
reputation  behind  it  and  with  unusual  advantages  in  the  way 
of  service  attached  to  it,  and  that  therefore  it  is  easily  possible 
to  build  up  a  convincing  sales  talk.  But  what  has  been  said 
in  this  case  applies  in  broad  outline  to  all  other  brands  of 
bread.  The  point  is  that  even  if  you  take  such  an  insipid, 
tasteless,  every-day  sort  of  article  as  bread  which  hasn't  much 
beauty  about  it  nor  much  that  can  be  claimed  for  it  on  the. 
score  of  palatability  or  even  profit,  it  is  still  possible  to  make 
out  a  strong  selling  case. 

It  rests  with  the  salesman  to  analyze  the  of¥er  he  is  pre- 
senting and  ascertain  its  talking  points.  On  this  framework 
he  then  constructs  those  arguments  which  will  appeal  to 
every  type  of  customer  and  to  almost  every  buying  motive. 

§  45.     The  Talking  Points  of  a  Specialty 

If  so  much  can  be  said  about  such  an  article  as  bread, 
how  much  more  interesting  must  be  the  arguments  in  favor 
of  a  specialty  of  any  kind.     A  salesman  handling  a  specialty 


PREPARATION    OF   THE    SELLING   TALK 


41 


at  a  fairly  high  price  will  rarely  need  to  construct  his  own 
selling  talk.  The  general  practice  among  firms  of  any  stand- 
ing is  to  train  their  representatives  in  the  art  of  demonstrat- 
ing the  product  before  sending  them  on  the  road.  Some 
houses  maintain  special  training  schools  and  publish  sales 
manuals  and  other  literature  in  which  the  summarized  ex- 
perience of  the  sales  force  is  presented  for  the  benefit  of  the 
beginners.  These  manuals  embody  the  experience  of  hun- 
dreds of  men  in  tackling  a  special  sales  problem.  Certain 
methods  bring  better  and  quicker  results  than  others  and 
these  the  salesman  is  expected  to  study  and  apply. 

The  elaboration  of  the  talking  points  of  such  an  article 
as  a  piece  of  machinery,  an  office  device,  or  an  automobile, 
would  occupy  many  pages  of  this  volume.  To  illustrate  the 
fact  that  there  is  never  any  dearth  of  facts  that  can  be  elab- 
orated in  this  way,  take,  for  example,  the  service  offered  by 
a  laundry.  A  laundry  sells  only  service  and  a  service  of  any 
kind  is  classed  among  specialties.  We  will  suppose  that 
Green's  Laundry  offers  its  services  at  prevailing  rates  and 
that  it  is  much  like  any  other  laundry.  In  the  sale  of  service, 
the  motive  to  appeal  to  is  satisfaction;  in  such  a  competitive 
field  as  the  laundry  business  the  arguments  in  favor  of  one 
laundry  over  another  will  finally  hinge  upon  satisfaction  in 
proportion  to  the  price  paid. 

Some  of  the  talking  points  that  appeal  to  this  motive  are 
listed  below.  Every  laundry  offers  most  of  these  services  but 
not  every  customer  knows  that  they  are  offered: 

Individual   attention 

Starching  to  individual  taste 

Dating 

Packing 

Repairing 

Delivery 

Dependability 


42 


PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 


Will  not  unduly  tear,  shrink,  or  fade  fabrics 

Liberal  adjustment 

Sanitation 

Thoroughness 

Etc. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  elaborate  each  of  these  talking 
points  into  an  argument  which  appeals  to  the  motives  of 
satisfaction,  pride,  caution,  and  so  on,  leading  a  housewife  to 
select  one  laundry  rather  than  another.  After  the  salesman 
has  ascertained  his  talking  points  and  decided  on  the  motive 
to  appeal  to,  he  will  have  little  difficulty  in  constructing  suit- 
able sales  arguments. 

§  46.     Analysis  of  Goods  Not  Needed  for  a  Retail  Sale 

The  refinement  of  analysis  so  frequently  necessary  be- 
fore a  convincing  sales  talk  can  be  built  up  for  either  a  whole- 
sale or  a  specialty  sale  would  be  entirely  out  of  place  in  a 
retail  sale.  The  retail  salesman  should  know  a  few  facts  as 
to  quality.  If,  for  instance,  he  is  selling  fabrics,  carpets,  tools, 
or  anything  in  which  wearing  quality  is  an  important  factor, 
he  should  study  his  goods  sufficiently  to  be  able  to  explain  to 
the  customer  wherein  lies  the  value  of  the  thing  under  inspec- 
tion. When  wearing  qualities  count  for  less  in  determining 
the  purchase  than  looks,  style,  or  palatability,  desire  can  be 
aroused  by  appealing  to  pleasure,  or  to  pride  and  satisfaction. 
Instead  of  a  minute  knowledge  of  a  particular  line,  the  retail 
salesperson  requires  a  general  all-round  knowledge  of  his 
stock.    This  matter  is  discussed  in  Chapter  XXII. 

§  47.     Method  of  Learning  Arguments 

After  deciding  what  to  say  and  in  how  many  different 
ways  to  say  it,  the  salesman  should  write  each  talking  point 
on  a  separate  card  and  on  the  reverse  side  the  appropriate 
sales  argument  and  the  buying  motive  to  which  appeal  is 


PREPARATION    OF   THE    SELLING   TALK  43 

made.  Then,  by  shuffling  the  cards  and  referring  to  the  face 
of  first  one  and  then  another  for  its  talking  point,  he  can 
practice  the  delivery  of  his  arguments  until  he  is  approxi- 
mately "word  perfect." 

Many  helpful  suggestions  for  the  construction  of  effective 
sales  arguments  will  be  found  in  various  chapters  of  this 
work.  Meanwhile  too  much  emphasis  cannot  possibly  be  laid 
upon  the  importance  of  this  drill.  The  salesman  must  first 
carefully  think  over  what  he  is  going  to  say  and  how  his 
appeal  can  be  most  effectively  worded.  He  must  then  so  drill 
himself  in  every  point  that  he  is  able  to  explain  the  merits  of 
his  offer  clearly  and  fluently — in  the  most  convincing  way. 

During  the  course  of  every  interview  he  will  find  various 
objections  raised  to  making  the  purchase.  Some  of  these 
objections  may  have  little  bearing  upon  his  goods  or  his  offer; 
methods  of  meeting  them  are  discussed  in  Chapters  XVI  and 
XVII.  For  the  present  the  salesman  need  only  bear  in  mind 
that  this  preliminary  preparation  of  the  sales  talk  and  forecast 
of  objections  are  absolutely  essential  if  he  is  to  meet  the  buyer 
thoroughly  equipped  and  armed  at  every  point. 

§  48.     Advantages  of  Learning  Arguments  Verbatim 

The  salesman  who  fails  to  learn  his  arguments  verbatim 
is  obliged  to  concentrate  his  thought  while  talking  upon  what 
he  is  going  to  say  next.  If  the  talking  points  and  the  phrase- 
ology in  which  they  are  expressed  are  firmly  fixed  in  his 
mind,  he  can  present  them  like  the  finished  actor  who  has 
learned  his  part — naturally  and  without  effort.  He  can  then 
give  close  attention  to  what  the  prospect  is  saying  and  be 
ready  to  take  advantage  of  every  opening  which  will  permit 
an  effective  reply  to  a  question  or  objection. 

If  the  salesman  thoroughly  masters  and  memorizes  his 
argument  in  its  numerous  phases,  there  will  be  no  danger 
of   repeating   the    argument   as    if   by    rote    in    half-hearted 


44  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

fashion,  and  still  less  of  stuttering  and  stumbling.  He  need 
never  be  at  a  loss  for  power  of  expression  or  a  ready  reply. 
Nothing  impresses  a  prospective  buyer  more  than  for  a 
salesman  to  state  his  case  in  crisp  and  logical  phraseology 
and  meet  every  question  and  every  objection  courteously  but 
decisively.  On  the  other  hand  nothing  does  so  much  to  create 
distrust  as  inability  either  to  explain  the  merits  of  an  offer 
logically  and  readily  or  to  meet  an  objection  when  raised. 

§  49.     Summary 

To  repeat,  the  salesman  who  takes  his  work  earnestly  and 
seriously  will  never  trust  to  a  fluent  and  ready  tongue  for  the 
construction  of  his  argument.  Many  a  glib  talker  who  ad- 
mires his  own  verbosity  only  irritates  the  buyer  because  he 
fails  to  present  his  argument  clearly  and  logically.  To  present 
a  thing  clearly  and  logically  it  must  be  put  down  in  black 
and  white  and  closely  studied.  The  salesman  is  not  an  ora- 
tor. He  is  a  cold  matter-of-fact  logician.  Logic  can  be  built 
up  only  by  careful  and  concentrated  thought. 

A  sales  talk  does  not  consist  of  a  mere  description  of 
what  the  salesman  has  to  offer  the  customer  or  what  the 
thing  offered  will  do  for  the  customer.  A  convincing  argu- 
ment is  a  composite  appeal  to  the  buying  motive  which  is 
strongest  in  a  particular  case;  to  the  temperament  of  the 
customer;  and  to  the  general  attitude  of  the  customer  toward 
the  salesman.  This  argument,  as  will  be  explained  in  the 
next  chapter,  is  to  be  so  modified  that  insensibly  it  attracts 
attention,  rouses  interest,  and  from  interest  leads  to  desire 
and  action. 


CHAPTER    V 

THE  CUSTOMER'S  MENTAL  JOURNEY 

§  50.     The  Mental  Stages 

The  discussion  in  the  two  preceding  chapters  leads  to  an 
elementary  principle  in  salesmanship:  To  effect  a  sale  the  mind 
of  the  buyer  must  be  gradually  led  from  its  existing  mood  to 
the  state  which  will  cause  him  to  buy. 

The  prospective  customer  may  be  in  any  conceivable  frame 
of  mind.  His  mood  may  be  good-natured  and  friendly  or 
irritable  and  discourteous.  He  may  be  already  interested  in 
the  offer,  indifferent,  or  even  antagonistic.  Possibly  he  has 
recently  bought  a  supply  of  goods  similar  to  those  offered — in 
consequence  he  is  not  inclined  to  purchase. 

Whatever  the  attitude  of  mind  in  which  the  buyer  may  be 
found  the  salesman  must  by  means  of  his  personality  and  the 
arguments  in  favor  of  his  goods,  cause  the  prospect's  mind 
to  pass  through  certain  mental  stages — to  take  a  mental  jour- 
ney as  it  were — progressing  along  the  route  of: 

Attention 

Interest 

and 

Desire 

which  leads  to 

Action 

This  mental  journey  cannot  be  likened  to  a  railroad  trip 
which  begins  at  attention  and  terminates  at  action  with  inter- 
est and  desire  as  the  stopping  places  en  route,  because  at- 
tention shades  into  interest  and  desire  is  translated  into  action 
before  one  can  realize  where  the  first  state  ends  and  the  second 

45 


46  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 

begins.  The  point  for  the  salesman  to  bear  in  mind  is  that 
as  the  buyer  knows  nothing  about  the  offer  he  is  apt  to  be 
indifferent  and  on  the  defensive.  He  must  in  consequence  be 
made  to  take  this  mental  journey  before  he  is  transformed 
from  a  prospect  into  a  customer.  No  sale  can  be  made  until 
attention  is  first  given  to  the  proposition,  until  interest  is 
awakened,  desire  for  the  commodity  aroused,  and  action  final- 
ly secured  by  tacit  acquiescence  or  by  means  of  the  signature 
on  the  dotted  line. 

§  51.    The  Mental  Stages  in  a  Retail  Sale 

When  a  simple  retail  purchase  is  made  a  customer's  mind 
insensibly  passes  through  these  mental  stages.  When  the 
housewife  decides  to  buy  something  for  the  breakfast  table 
her  attention  is  drawn  to  the  matter  by  the  demands  of  the 
appetite;  interest  is  aroused  in  satisfying  this  demand  in  the 
most  satisfactory  way  that  her  means  permit;  she  desires  to 
purchase  certain  things  and  so  action  promptly  follows.  These 
stages  may  be  reached  almost  simultaneously  when  the  pur- 
chase is  a  daily  need  or  a  trivial  matter  which  needs  little 
consideration.  But  as  the  importance  of  the  purchase  or  the 
service  increases  and  its  price  rises  more  thought  is  devoted 
to  the  expenditure ;  and  this  thought  then  becomes  more  clearly 
reflected  in  the  four  stages  already  enumerated. 

Carrying  the  analysis  a  degree  further  we  will  in  this 
chapter  consider  each  of  these  mental  stages  in  detail.  In 
later  chapters  additional  suggestions  will  be  given  as  to  ho^v 
the  sales  arguments  are  to  be  constructed  so  as  to  carry  the 
mind  of  the  reluctant  prospect  from  apathetic  indifference 
or  even  antagonism  to  a  sale. 

§  52.     Attention 

There  are  many  ways  of  attracting  attention,  some  of 
them  uncommon  and  even  bizarre,  but  it  is  no  part  of  sales- 


THE   CUSTOMER'S    MENTAL   JOURNEY  47 

manship  to  adopt  unusual  methods  merely  for  the  sake  of 
attracting  attention.  Moreover,  such  methods  usually  fail 
in  their  effect  because  of  their  crudity  or  inappropriateness. 
When  a  prospective  customer  is  first  approached  the  aim 
should  simply  be  to  turn  him  from  his  indifferent  or  an- 
tagonistic attitude  into  the  non-committal  one  of  at  least 
being  willing  to  listen  to  the  proposition.  This  transform- 
ation may  be  effected  by  m^eans  of  the  opening  sentence  or 
merely  by  the  approach  of  the  salesman  himself.  If  he  is 
so  fortunate  as  to  be  equipped  with  a  particularly  pleasing 
personality  and  come  forward  with  a  smile  that  disarms  sus- 
picion because  of  its  frank  geniality,  he  may  at  once  secure 
the  kind  of  attention  he  is  seeking.  Not  all  salesmen,  how 
ever,  are  equipped  in  this  happy  way.  So  assuming  merely 
that  there  is  nothing  unpleasing  in  voice,  bearing,  or  address 
which  will  create  a  feeling  of  antagonism  in  the  customer's 
mind,  everything  depends  upon  the  effect  made  by  the  open- 
ing sentence. 

The  cash  register  salesman,  for  instance,  when  he  first 
introduces  himself  to  a  customer  does  not  open  with  a  com^ 
monplace  introduction  such  as,  'T  represent  so  and  so,"  or  "1 
have  called  to  sell  you  a  register,"  or  "I  should  like  to  talk 
to  you  about  our  registers" ;  he  puts  it  rather  in  this  way,  "1 
want  to  interest  you  in  our  new  methods  for  taking  care  of 
transactions  with  customers  in  your  store."  The  storekeeper 
is  not  interested  in  a  register  as  a  register,  nor  in  the  com- 
pany which  sells  them.  But  he  is  interested  in  recording 
transactions  which  take  place  in  his  store. 

Having  thus  secured  attention  and  to  some  extent  inter- 
est, the  salesman  proceeds  to  transform  this  interest  into 
desire  by  explaining  in  how  many  ways  a  cash  register  will 
enable  better  care  to  be  taken  of  the  store's  transactions — in- 
formation which  has  been  obtained  by  a  previous  diagnosis 
of  the  dealer's  needs. 


48  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

§  53.     Securing  Attention  by  Mail 

Attention  to  the  offer  is  sometimes  secured  in  other  ways. 
Frequently  the  customer  is  advised  in  advance  of  the  sales- 
man's call,  either  by  means  of  a  personal  letter  which  out- 
lines the  nature  of  the  offer,  or  by  means  of  circulars,  book- 
lets, or  other  advertising  literature.  The  aim  in  each  case  is 
to  draw  attention  to  the  advantages  of  the  thing  advertised 
with  the  hope  that  when  a  salesman  calls  he  will  be  given  an 
interview. 

This  method  is  generally  adopted  in  selling  a  specialty. 
Frequently  the  customer  is  "circularized"  several  times  with 
literature  specially  written  to  arouse  attention.  Thus  the 
ground  is  prepared  so  that  when  a  representative  calls  the 
customer  is  sufficiently  interested  in  the  proposition  to  desire 
further  information. 

§  54.     Interest 

Attention  is  gradually  transformed  into  interest  in  meas- 
ure as  the  buyer's  willingness  to  listen  is  changed  into  an 
active  desire  to  obtain  information.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
the  stage  of  interest  is  reached  when  an  acknowledgment  of 
the  merits  of  the  offer  can  be  drawn  from  the  general  type 
of  buyer  by  means  of  adroit  questions  and  he  himself  begins 
to  ask  questions;  or  when  the  taciturn,  capricious,  or  critical 
type  of  customer  begins  to  detect  flaws  and  disadvantages  in 
the  offer.  In  this  way  the  latter  reveals  his  desire  to  learn 
more  about  it.  He  may  even  go  so  far  as  to  acknowledge 
that  he  is  willing  to  consider  the  proposition.  When  this 
stage  of  interest  is  reached  the  salesman  can  begin  to  appeal 
to  the  particular  buying  motive  which  the  nature  of  the  offer 
and  the  temperament  of  the  buyer  may  indicate  should  be 
touched.  By  this  means  interest  which  is  more  or  less  im- 
personal is  transformed  into  a  strong  desire  for  personal 
ownership. 


THE   CUSTOMER'S   MENTAL  JOURNEY  49 

§  55.     Desire 

As  attention  shades  into  interest  so  desire  shades  into 
action  or  a  definite  promise  to  buy.  A  faint  spark  of  interest 
is  gradually  fanned  into  the  flame  of  desire.  This  can  be 
done,  as  will  be  more  fully  explained  later,  by  imbuing  the 
customer  with  the  salesman's  own  enthusiasm.  Unless  he  is 
enthusiastic  about  the  merits  of  his  goods  and  the  advantages 
to  be  derived  from  their  possession,  he  has  little  chance  of 
rousing  the  buying  motive.  To  effect  a  sale,  desire  must  be 
made  so  strong  that  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  offer 
loom  larger  in  the  mind  than  the  money  which  must  be  paid 
out.  Until  the  salesman  is  sure  that  the  desire  to  possess  is 
so  strong  that  price  is  no  longer  the  chief  consideration,  he 
should  not  attempt  to  impel  the  prospect  along  his  mental 
journey  to  the  final  stage  of  action — a  positive  decision  to 
buy  and  to  buy  now. 

§  56.     Action 

A  prospective  customer  may  desire  to  take  advantage  of 
an  offer  because  it  represents  good  value  in  every  way,  but 
this  does  not  necessarily  imply  that  a  sale  will  follow.  It 
is  human  nature  to  vacillate  before  purchasing  and  this  vacil- 
lation grows  in  proportion  to  the  expenditure  involved  and 
the  customer's  total  income.  The  more  momentous  the  pur- 
chase the  greater  becomes  the  fear,  either  definite  or  intangible 
but  none  the  less  present,  that  possibly  a  mistake  is  being 
made  or  that  better  value  for  the  same  money  may  be  found 
elsewhere.  In  consequence  caution  impels  the  prospective  pur- 
chaser to  take  plenty  of  time  before  coming  to  a  final  decision. 

When  the  customer  is  a  keen  judge  of  values  or  enjoys 
seeking  out  bargains,  as  in  the  case  of  certain  types  of  women 
shoppers,  this  vacillation  frequently  shows  itself  just  at  the 
moment  when  a  sale  might  be  expected.  This  inability  to 
make  up  one's  mind  often  appears  when  even  a  trifling  pur- 


50  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

chase  is  to  be  made.  How  much  more,  therefore,  is  it  to  be 
expected  when  the  purchase  represents  an  investment  of  any 
importance. 

Methods  of  gently  leading  the  customer  from  desire  to 
action  or  a  positive  decision  to  buy  are  discussed  in  Chapter 
XVIII.  For  the  present  let  us  consider  the  mental  processes 
which  cause  this  infirmity  of  purpose  in  the  consummation  of 
almost  every  important  sale. 

§  57-     Why  the  Customer  Vacillates 

A  young  married  man  may  spend  weeks  in  looking  for  a 
house.  Many  possible  dwellings  are  inspected  until  finally 
one  is  found  which  is  just  what  he  is  looking  for.  The  home 
fits  in  with  his  ideas  exactly;  the  price  is  reasonable;  yet 
he  may  spend  weeks  in  thinking  the  matter  over.  Although 
he  acknowledges  that  the  house  suits  him  in  every  way,  he 
wants  to  be  sure  that  the  purchase  will  not  be  regretted  later. 

Similar  mental  processes  are  at  work  when  any  other 
purchase  of  moment  is  contemplated.  The  purchaser  of,  say, 
an  automobile  inspects  several  makes  which  fall  within  the 
price  he  is  prepared  to  pay  and  compares  the  advantages  of 
one  model  with  another.  There  seems  little  to  choose  be- 
tween them  and  each  reveals  certain  points  of  superiority. 
He  wonders  if  by  looking  further  he  might  not  find  something 
which  would  suit  him  still  better  or  which  would  offer  greater 
value  for  his  money.  He  is  apprehensive  as  to  whether  the 
up-keep  of  the  car  will  not  cost  more  than  is  claimed — perhaps 
for  this  reason  he  had  better  buy  a  lower-priced  car. 
Questions  such  as  these  constantly  arise  in  his  mind  at  the 
crucial  moment  and  cause  him  to  hesitate  if  the  expenditure 
looms  large  in  proportion  to  his  income. 

When  the  wholesale  buyer  has  to  come  to  the  point  of 
ordering,  such  thoughts  as  these  may  pass  through  his  mind: 
"Perhaps  these  goods  do  not  come  up  to  my  expectations"; 


THE   CUSTOMER'S    MENTAL   JOURNEY  51 

"They  may  not  sell  as  well  as  I  expect" ;  "Possibly  I  ought  not 
to  buy  so  many";  "Perhaps  I  can  get  better  deliveries  from 
another  concern" — and  so  on.  When  considerations  such  as 
these  are  so  strong  that  the  buyer  is  unable  to  come  to  a 
definite  decision,  he  tries  as  a  rule  to  postpone  action  until  a 
later  date  or  until  the  salesman  calls  again.  The  salesman, 
realizing  the  reason  for  this  indecision,  must  be  equipped  with 
arguments  which  will  help  the  customer  to  make  up  his  mind. 

§  58.     Summary 

Briefly  summarized  this  chapter  emphasizes  the  fact  that 
the  construction  of  the  sales  talk  must  be  based  on  the  change 
which  is  presumed  gradually  to  take  place  in  the  mental  atti- 
tude of  the  customer. 

The  salesman  should  have  at  his  command  a  certain  num- 
ber of  arguments  specifically  worded  to  arouse  attention — 
arguments  which  may  or  may  not  relate  to  his  offer.  In 
some  cases  a  description  of  the  goods  or  the  advantages  of  an 
offer  may  be  a  very  small  factor  in  the  complete  sales  argu- 
ment. As  we  shall  see  in  later  chapters  some  customers  will 
be  influenced  more  by  an  account  of  what  others  have  done 
than  by  a  description  of  the  goods. 

In  fanning  the  spark  of  attention  into  the  flame  of  desire 
much  will  depend  upon  the  tactful  adaptation  of  the  sales  talk 
to  the  type  of  mind  to  be  influenced ;  unless  the  salesman  has 
the  tactful  enthusiasm  needed  to  convey  to  others  his  own 
earnest  belief  in  the  advantages  of  his  offer  he  will  not  be 
successful  in  his  calling. 

Finally  the  salesman  must  be  equipped  with  telling  re- 
joinders to  a  number  of  objections,  one  or  more  of  which  are 
sure  to  be  raised  in  almost  every  sale.  The  art  of  closing 
and  combating  the  natural  tendency  to  procrastinate  or  vacil- 
late, the  culminating  part  of  the  salesman's  work,  needs 
separate  study  as  outlined  in  Chapters  XVIII  and  XIX. 


CHAPTER  VI 

MODES  AND  METHODS  OF  AROUSING  INTEREST 

§  59.     The  Manner  of  the  Salesman 

The  art  of  attracting  favorable  attention  so  that  the  custom- 
er at  once  reveals  his  willingness  to  listen  to  the  salesman's 
story  is  worth  careful  study  and  preparation.  Much  will 
depend  upon  the  salesman's  manner,  appearance,  and  method 
of  approach,  as  explained  in  Chapters  XI  and  XXIX,  which 
deal  with  his  general  attitude  and  bearing  when  in  the  presence 
of  a  customer.  In  this  chapter  we  will  consider  the  prepara- 
tory work  that  will  help  him  to  win  the  favorable  attention 
which'  is  necessary  before  interest  can  be  aroused. 

The  salesman's  argumentative  equipment  should  include 
several  opening  sentences  constructed  with  the  object  of  mak- 
ing a  favorable  impression  "right  off  the  bat."  The  nature 
of  every  offer  varies  and  every  sale  has  its  own  talking  points. 
In  some  cases  it  may  be  advantageous  to  compress  within  the 
opening  statement  as  much  information  as  possible  concerning 
the  advantages  of  an  offer ;  in  others  the  opening  remarks  may 
mention  only  one  particular  feature  of  the  offer  in  which  the 
customer  is  presumed  to  take  paramount  interest. 

The  wording  of  this  opening  statement  will  be  indicated  if 
the  goods  or  the  service  are  regarded,  not  from  the  point  of 
view  of  their  special  features  or  their  superiority  over  others, 
but  of  what  they  will  do  for,  or  how  they  will  help,  a  particular 
customer  in  his  own  business. 

§  60.     Illustrative  Methods 

A  salesman  who  handles  expensive  machinery  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  concrete  bricks,  opens  his  selling  talk  in  this 

52 


METHODS   OF  AROUSING   INTEREST 


53 


way:  "Mr.  Brown,  I  have  a  proposition  to  explain  to  you 
that  you  will  find  will  pay  you  45  per  cent  profit  on  your 
investment."  His  prospects  are  contractors  with  large  invest- 
ments in  equipment.  Attention  is  thus  aroused  by  an  appeal 
to  the  desire  for  profit. 

"Good  morning,  Mrs.  Jones,  I've  been  asked  to  call  upon 
you  about  a  matter  of  special  interest  to  you  and  to  your 
children,"  says  the  encyclopedia  salesman  at  the  opening  of 
his  interview.  This  appeals  to  a  mother's  pride  in  her  off- 
spring and  so  she  desires  to  know  more.  He  emphasizes  the 
need  for  a  work  of  reference  by  an  appeal  to  the  motive  of 
pride.  He  explains  how  the  encyclopedia  will  help  the 
children  in  their  studies  and  enable  them  to  make  more  rapid 
progress  through  the  various  high  school  grades. 

If  a  vacuum  cleaner  salesman  does  not  know  the  name  of 
his  prospect  when  calling  from  house  to  house,  he  uses  the 
name  of  a  nearby  neighbor  as  a  means  of  arousing  interest: 
"I  have  just  come  from  Mrs.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Walton  whom 
you  know.  They  have  both  adopted  our  method  of  keeping 
the  house  cleaner  and  more  sanitary  with  about  one-tenth  of 
the  present  labor."  Attention  is  at  once  aroused  and  interest 
awakened  by  an  appeal  to  the  instinct  of  imitation. 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Jones,  I  have  a  little  device  to  show 
you  that  will  save  you  money  and  is  as  big  a  necessity  to  you 
as  insurance  on  your  home,"  says  the  check  protector  sales- 
man. A  direct  appeal  is  thus  made  to  the  motive  of  gain. 
The  prospect  asks,  "What  is  it?"  whereupon  the  salesman 
replies,  "A  method  of  protecting  your  checks  against  falsifica- 
tion and  insuring  you  against  loss  from  forgery." 

§  61.     The  Enthusiastic  Method 

When  a  hat  salesman  calls  on  a  milliner  only  to  be  told 
that  her  stock  is  complete  and  she  requires  nothing  more  at 
present  he  changes  his  customary  method  of  approach.     He 


54  PREPARING    TO    MEET   THE    CUSTOMER 

knows  that  now  he  must  plunge  right  into  his  sales  talk  and 
use  those  arguments  he  employs  to  arouse  desire.  So  with 
the  utmost  earnestness  and  with  all  the  enthusiasm  he  can 
muster  he  declares: 

"Why,  Mrs.  Vere,  it  just  happens  on  this  trip  that  I've 
brought  with  me  the  most  stylish  hats  I've  ever  carried  and  I 
must  positively  let  you  see  them  even  if  you  are  all  stocked 
up."  To  use  this  opening  sentence  as  a  regular  argument 
would,  of  course,  be  foolish  and  soon  blunt  its  effect;  but  to 
keep  it  discreetly  in  reserve  for  such  a  situation  as  mentioned 
often  secures  an  opening  and  thus  an  order  that  would  other- 
wise be  lost.  Many  buyers  try  to  head  off  the  salesman  with 
the  assertion  that  they  are  "all  stocked  up"  when  they  really 
mean  that  they  do  not  feel  in  the  mood  to  inspect  his  samples 
at  the  time  of  his  call.  Though  there  may  be  no  intention 
to  purchase,  interest  is  apt  to  be  aroused  simply  by  the  en- 
thusiasm of  the  salesman's  manner  and  so  an  inspection  is 
made  of  his  stock.  When  enthusiasm  is  appropriate,  when  the 
salesman  really  believes  that  certain  points  of  his  offer  or 
certain  features  of  his  merchandise  make  a  specially  powerful 
appeal,  he  is  entitled  to  wax  enthusiastic.  This  sort  of  legiti- 
mate enthusiasm,  indeed,  should  be  part  of  every  approach. 

§  62.     The  Simple,  Straightforward  Method 

If  the  sale  is  of  small  value,  a  simple  straightforward  sales 
talk  may  be  all  that  is  needed  to  arouse  interest.  For  ex- 
ample, the  hosiery  salesman  says  to  the  dry-goods  merchant: 
"Good  morning,  Mr.  Brown,  I  want  you  to  see  some  of  the 
new  patterns  in  hose  we  have  just  brought  out.  They're  the 
most  attractive  colors  and  shades  I  have  seen  for  many  sea- 
sons." 

The  coffee  salesman  says:  "Mr.  Brown,  I  want  you  to 
stock  our  line  of  coffee  because  it  will  be  to  your  interest  to 
do  so.      You  know  there  is  a  big  demand  for  our  coffee  be- 


METHODS    OF   AROUSING   INTEREST  55 

cause  it  pleases  the  palates  of  the  people  who  have  once  tried 
it  on  the  recommendation  of  our  advertisements." 

When  the  customer  is  already  acquainted  with  the  goods 
or  knows  the  salesman,  a  simple  description  of  his  offer  is 
all  that  is  needed.  When  both  goods  and  salesman  are  un- 
known the  customer  must  be  offered  something  more  concrete 
than  words,  whether  this  be  samples,  a  catalogue,  a  picture,  or 
a  demonstration.  The  display  of  samples  or  the  demonstra- 
tion of  what  the  goods  will  do  is  a  phase  of  the  salesman's  work 
which  should  always  be  carefully  rehearsed  before  the  inter- 
view. 

§  63.     The  Demonstration  Method 

The  quickest  method  of  transforming  interest  into  desire 
is  to  show  the  customer  just  what  the  goods  will  do.  Of 
course  it  is  not  always  possible  to  do  this.  Wearing  apparel, 
for  instance,  is  sold  as  much  for  its  style  appeal  and 
appearance  as  for  its  wearing  qualities  and  the  only  thing  that 
it  is  possible  to  demonstrate  when  displaying  apparel  of  any 
kind  is  that  it  will  withstand  so  much  wear  and  tear.  Aside 
from  the  finer  articles  of  wear,  however,  most  merchandise 
has  one  or  more  special  points  of  superiority  which  can  be 
demonstrated. 

To  take  an  example,  it  would  not  be  thought  that  lamp 
chimneys  lend  themselves  to  the  demonstration  method.  Yet 
one  salesman  selling  all  kinds  of  glassware  makes  a  practice 
as  soon  as  he  enters  a  store  in  which  he  is  unknown,  of  buying 
an  ordinary  lamp  chimney. 

"Don't  trouble  to  wrap  it  up,"  he  says  to  the  proprietor 
and  to  the  latter's  surprise  he  picks  up  the  chimney  he  has 
just  bought  and  rolls  it  along  the  floor.  When  it  comes  in 
contact  with  any  object  it  naturally  breaks  in  pieces.  W^ithout 
a  word  he  takes  one  of  his  own  chimneys  out  of  his  sample 
case  and  puts  it  to  exactly  the  same  test.     His  own  chimney 


56  PREPARING  TO   MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

stands  the  ordeal  without  even  cracking.  He  then  turns  to 
the  proprietor  and  says:  "A  lamp  chimney  which  will  stand 
such  a  severe  test  as  that  is  the  kind  that  will  resist  heat  and 
have  long  life  and  is  the  kind  of  chimney  that  keeps  your 
customers  satisfied.  I'd  like,  Mr.  Jones,  to  show  you  my 
complete  line."  Such  a  method  of  approach  naturally  inter- 
ests the  prospect  and  at  once  wins  an  opening. 

In  the  same  way  a  cutlery  salesman  who  calls  on  the  hard- 
ware trade  invariably  introduces  himself  to  a  prospect  by 
asking:  "May  I  borrow  a  short  piece  of  copper  wire  for  a 
moment,  please?"  On  receiving  the  wire  he  opens  his  sample 
case,  takes  out  a  pair  of  shears,  and  cuts  the  wire  in  two. 
Passing  the  shears  over  for  the  customer's  inspection  he  says: 
"You  notice  that  they  are  not  marked  at  all.  Now  that's  the 
kind  of  shears  you  want  to  ofifer  to  your  trade.  It's  just  a 
sample  of  my  whole  line."  Then  without  any  more  ado  he 
beginc  to  spread  out  his  line  on  the  retailer's  counter. 

§  64.     Demonstration  of  Food 

A  utility  article  can  often  be  demonstrated  in  one  way  or 
another.  Foods  and  drinks  also  lend  themselves  readily  to 
such  a  physical  demonstration. 

A  salesman  representing  a  bakery,  after  calling  a  number 
of  times  on  a  provision  store  dealer  without  success,  deter- 
mined to  try  to  interest  him  by  a  demonstration.  On  his 
next  visit  he  took  with  him  a  loaf  of  bread  daintily  wrapped  in 
a  napkin  and  packed  in  a  collapsible  carton  with  a  small  jar 
of  honey  and  a  sharp  knife.  He  entered  the  store  just  before 
lunch  hour  when  appetite  is  at  its  keenest.  Walking  to  the 
rear  where  the  proprietor's  desk  stood,  he  unpacked  the  carton 
on  the  counter,  cut  the  loaf  of  bread  into  thin  slices  and  spread 
two  or  three  with  honey.  Handing  a  slice  to  the  proprietor 
he  said:  "I  have  brought  you  a  nutritious  lunch.  Just  try 
that  bread  and  tell  me  if  you  don't  think  it's  the  best  flavored 


METHODS   OF   AROUSING   INTEREST  57 

loaf  you  ever  tasted."  He  then  passed  several  slices  to  the 
clerks  in  the  store  who  were  unoccupied  with  customers  and 
asked  for  their  opinions  also.  He  ate  two  or  three  slices  with 
huge  relish  himself  and  with  ejaculations  between  mouthfuls 
to  the  effect,  "Isn't  this  fine?"  "Did  you  ever  taste  such 
bread  as  this?"  All  agreed  that  it  was  indeed  very  fine  bread 
— the  best  they'd  ever  tasted.  The  impression  created  by  this 
enthusiastic  demonstration  gave  the  salesman  the  opportunity 
to  talk  business  that  he  had  previously  ineffectually  sought. 

§  65.     Demonstration  in  a  Retail  Store 

The  retail  salesman  can  use  similar  methods  to  great  ad- 
vantage. In  large  department  stores  clerks  are  frequently 
trained  to  demonstrate  a  particular  thing  as  a  means  of  catch- 
ing the  eye  and  stimulating  the  interest  of  both  customers  and 
of  persons  who  are  merely  looking  around.  The  demand  for 
a  novelty,  such  as  a  new  cosmetic  of  special  virtues,  a  new 
song,  or  anything  with  a  touch  of  originality  is  invariably 
stimulated  in  this  way.  These  demonstrations  are  frequently 
made  with  the  object  of  collecting  a  crowd,  but  it  is  just  as 
practical  to  demonstrate  in  this  way  to  a  single  customer. 

In  the  grocery  department,  for  instance,  the  appeal  of 
almost  everything  can  be  accentuated  merely  by  suggesting 
that  the  customer  taste  it.  At  the  perfumery  counter  perfume 
can  be  sprayed  on  a  customer's  handkerchief ;  at  the  stationery 
counter  the  fountain  pen  salesman  can  ask  his  customers  to 
write  with  a  pen,  to  test  the  feel  of  a  certain  quality  of  note 
paper  or  the  tensile  strength  of  commercial  writing  paper,  and 
so  on  in  almost  every  case. 

The  demonstration  method  is  a  practical  application  of 
theory.  Instead  of  the  customer's  being  told,  he  is  shown 
what  the  goods  will  do.  An  appeal  to  the  eye  is  always  more 
potent  in  its  effect  than  appeal  to  the  car  and  an  appeal  to  the 
palate  is  in  suitable  cases  the  most  powerful  appeal  of  all. 


58  PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 

§  66.     First  Impressions  of  Goods  Important 

If  one  of  the  features  of  the  article  being  demonstrated  is 
its  daintiness  or  purity  and  the  merchandise  in  use  becomes 
soiled  or  damaged  an  unfavorable  impression  will  be  created 
which  will  kill  any  awakening  interest.  A  favorable  first 
impression  is  extremely  important  in  salesmanship  whether  it 
is  an  impression  of  the  salesman  himself  or  of  the  thing  he 
has  to  sell.  This  is  generally  recognized  when  the  sale  in- 
volves a  large  expenditure,  but  is  frequently  neglected  when 
the  disbursement  is  trifling. 

When  a  certain  real  estate  salesman  drives  a  prospect 
in  his  automobile  to  a  house  he  wishes  to  rent,  he  usually 
approaches  from  the  end  of  the  road  w^hich  gives  the  best 
possible  view,  even  if  this  necessitates  a  lengthy  detour.  An 
advertising  concern  engaged  in  renting  billboard  spa_e  pays 
particular  attention  to  the  important  matter  of  first  impres- 
sions. The  exact  spot  from  which  a  particular  board  can  be 
seen  to  the  best  advantage  is  first  located.  When  a  prospec- 
tive advertiser  is  taken  to  view  the  ''open"  boards,  the  chauf- 
feur knows  to  a  foot  where  to  stop  the  automobile.  Then  and 
not  until  then  does  the  salesman  point  out  the  board  space 
offered  for  rent. 

§  67.     Carefulness  in  Displaying 

The  way  in  which  the  goods  are  handled  will  convey  an 
impression  of  quality  or  inferiority.  When  the  jewelry  sales- 
man displays  a  fine  necklace  or  a  diamond  ring  he  holds  it 
up  carefully  and  looks  at  it  admiringly.  When  he  lays  it 
down  on  the  case,  it  is  placed  on  a  velvet  pad.  The  same 
principle  can  be  applied  to  ordinary  goods.  They  should  be 
handled  carefully,  thus  implying  that  they  are  of  value.  To 
toss  them  carelessly  on  the  counter  suggests  that  they  are 
not  worth  much.  A  good  motto  to  adopt  is:  "Handle  the 
goods  as  if  they  are  worth  a  million  dollars." 


METHODS   OF  AROUSING   INTEREST  59 

Such  must  be  the  motto  of  a  salesman  offering  bottled 
pickles  to  grocers.  Each  bottle  in  his  sample  case  is  wrapped 
in  a  square  of  velvet.  As  he  takes  a  sample  out  of  the  case  he 
holds  it  carefully,  slowly  unwraps  the  covering,  lays  it  down 
on  the  counter,  and  sets  the  bottle  methodically  in  its  center. 
His  manner  suggests  the  superior  quality  of  the  goods  and  the 
velvet  on  which  the  bottle  stands  enhances  its  appearance. 

§   68.    Connecting  Selling  Talk  with  Prospect's  Interest 

When  other  methods  fail  attention  can  sometimes  be  trans- 
formed into  interest  by  linking  the  unknown  offer  with  some- 
thing in  which  the  prospect  is  interested  or  with  which  he  is 
already  familiar.  The  closer  the  connecting  link  the  better. 
It  may  be  difficult  to  connect  these  interests  in  a  natural  way 
and  in  that  case  a  purely  arbitrary  connection  is  all  that  is 
possible. 

A  specialty  salesman  who  sells  advertising  usually  meets 
with  his  fair  share  of  rebuffs.  Often  his  greatest  difficulty  is 
to  secure  a  hearing  in  which  he  will  have  time  to  interest  his 
listener  and  sometimes  he  must  catch  his  man  on  the  wing 
as  it  were. 

A  salesman  handling  trade  paper  advertising  called  on  the 
advertising  manager  of  a  large  manufacturing  concern  whom 
he  had  failed  hitherto  to  interview.  On  this  occasion  he 
chanced  to  meet  the  prospect  in  the  vestibule  of  the  office. 

"Mr.  Denman,"  he  said,  'T  was  in  Wilson's  shoe  store  out 
in  Medland  the  other  day  buying  a  pair  of  shoes  and  had  some 
conversation  with  him  regarding  your  line  which  he  handles. 
He  told  me  that  you'd  built  up  quite  a  business  in  it  and  T 
learned  what  was  to  me  a  very  interesting  fact,  that  you  sell 
direct  to  dealers  through  several  branch  houses  rather  than 
through  jobbers.  It  occurred  to  me  that  our  publication 
would  be  a  very  profitable  medium  for  you  to  use  for  these 
three  reasons:   .  .   ." 


50  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

The  salesman  apparently  tied  up  the  prospect's  interest 
with  trade  paper  advertising  although  there  was  no  legitimate 
connection  between  the  two.  This  opening  was  sufficiently 
interesting  to  the  customer  to  make  him  willing  to  hear  what 
the  salesman  had  to  say  and  thus  it  gained  the  opportunity  to 
talk  business. 

§  69.     The  Connecting  Link  May  Be  a  Name 

The  connecting  link  may  be  only  a  name  or  a  subject  in 
which  the  prospect  is  interested,  as  in  the  following  examples, 
yet  it  may  suffice  to  gain  a  hearing. 

A  salesman  selling  loose-leaf  ledgers  approached  the  man- 
ager of  a  manufacturing  concern  in  this  way:  "Mr.  Jones, 
I  understand  that  you  are  so  interested  in  modern  efficiency 
methods  that  you  have  hired  Mr.  Smith  as  efficiency  engineer. 
I  feel  quite  sure,  therefore,  that  you  will  be  especially  inter- 
ested in  our  system  for  increasing  office  efficiency." 

A  certain  insurance  salesman  after  he  has  obtained  the 
name  of  a  prospect  from  an  existing  client  invariably  opens  the 
conversation  with  the  potential  client  in  this  way:  "I  was 
talking  the  other  day  with  your  friend,  Mr.  Smith,  and  your 
name  came  up  in  the  conversation.  I  understand  from  him 
that  you  have  not  yet  protected  your  family  against  accident  to 
yourself.  I  feel  that  under  the  circumstances  you  would  not 
object  to  my  submxitting  a  proposition  that  would  fit  your 
needs." 

In  all  these  examples  the  salesman  links  his  offer  with 
somebody  or  something  in  which  the  prospect  is  already  in- 
terested although  the  connection  may  be  purely  arbitrary. 

§  70.     Arousing  Interest  by  Appealing  to  Curiosity 

Interest  can  sometimes  be  aroused  indirectly  by  an  appeal 
to  curiosity.  This  method  is  frequently  used  in  advertising  and 
the  "teaser"  advertisements  which  appear  from  time  to  time 


METHODS   OF   AROUSING   INTEREST  •     6l 

are  examples  of  attempts  to  arouse  interest  in  this  way.  Such 
advertisements  do  not  give  the  name  or  describe  the  thing 
advertised  but  tell  the  reader  to  watch  for  other  announcements 
which  do  so.  Such  queries  as  "Do  you  know  what  X-Tom 
is?"  "See  this  space  next  week";  "Watch  this  space;  it  has 
a  message  for  you";  "$i,ooo  in  gold  for  some  lucky  person. 
See  next  week's  'Bludgeon'  " — these  are  all  teaser  advertise- 
ments designed  to  arouse  the  curiosity  of  the  reader  to  such 
a  degree  that  he  will  be  sufficiently  interested  to  investigate. 
While  this  method  is  rarely  applicable  to  salesmanship  it  can 
in  some  cases  be  used  with  good  effect. 

§  71.     Example  of  an  Appeal  to  Curiosity 

A  salesman  selling  toilet  goods  to  drug  stores  had  tried 
on  several  occasions  to  secure  an  order  from  a  large  store  in 
an  important  Pacific  Coast  town.  He  made  repeated  attempts 
to  awaken  the  interest  of  the  buyer  who  in  this  case  happened 
to  be  the  daughter  of  the  proprietor.  After  several  failures 
he  decided  to  adopt  different  tactics.  The  next  time  he 
visited  the  store  he  approached  her  hurriedly  and,  with  a 
smile,  said: 

"Sorry,  I  have  to  catch  a  train  in  a  few  minutes  and  haven't 
time  to  show  you  a  special  sample  I  have  with  me.  I  will 
surely  come  in  and  see  you  again  on  my  next  trip  and  I  want 
you  to  keep  this  to  remember  me  by,"  and  he  handed  her  a 
small  souvenir  powder-puff.  On  his  next  trip  he  again  ap- 
proached the  buyer  in  the  same  way  saying:  "Too  bad,  I 
brought  something  special  to  offer  you  on  this  trip  but  I 
have  positively  to  catch  the  6:15  to  Portland  and  it's  only  ten 
minutes  to  train  time.  I'll  surely  give  you  plenty  of  time  on 
my  next  trip." 

The  salesman  took  it  as  a  matter  of  course  that  the  buyer 
was  perfectly  willing  to  inspect  his  samples  and  by  this  time 
the  young  lady  began  to  reveal  curiosity.      When  he  visited 


62  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER       • 

her  the  third  time  he  had  no  difficuUy  in  securing  permission 
to  show  his  samples.     Her  interest  had  been  aroused. 

§  72.     The  Flank  Approach 

It  is  sad  to  confess  but  the  fact  must  be  acknowledged  that 
a  certain  offer  to  some  customers  may  be  very  much  like 
a  red  rag  to  a  bull.  The  mere  mention  of  the  salesman's 
business  is  sufficient  to  cause  such  an  expression  of  blank 
vacuity  to  overspread  the  face  of  the  prospect  that  it  subdues 
the  courage  of  all  but  the  most  experienced  and  pertinacious 
of  salesmen.  When  approaching  a  customer  who  is  known 
to  be  slightly  antagonistic  it  may  be  diplomatic  to  advance 
from  the  flank  as  it  were,  rather  than  from  the  front. 

Most  men  are  more  or  less  indifferent  and  some  even 
antagonistic  to  the  appeal  of  the  life  insurance  salesman. 
Furthermore,  when  a  man  buys  life  insurance  he  as  a  rule 
prefers  to  do  so  from  somebody  he  knows  and  in  whom  he  has 
confidence.  For  this  reason  many  insurance  salesmen  ask 
their  clients  to  give  them  the  names  of  friends  with  the  in- 
tention of  calling  on  them.  But  before  mentioning  business  they 
frequently  make  an  effort  to  become  acquainted  with  the  pros- 
pect and  if  they  succeed  the  conversation  is  limited  to  every- 
day affairs.  Only  after  they  have  met  casually  in  this  way  on 
several  occasions  does  the  life  insurance  salesman  broach  the 
topic  in  which  he  is  primarily  interested. 

§  73.     Variations  of  Flank  Approach 

A  variation  of  a  flank  approach  is  used  by  an  insurance 
salesman.  When  calling  on  prospects  with  whom  he  is  un- 
acquainted and  when  he  has  not  even  the  name  of  a  mutual 
friend  to  use  as  an  introduction,  he  introduces  the  subject  of 
fire  insurance  instead  of  life  insurance.  Fire  insurance  is  a 
necessity  universally  recognized.  It  entails  much  less  drastic 
expenditure  than  life  insurance  and  consequently  it  is  broached 


METHODS   OF   AROUSING   INTEREST  63 

to  more  tolerant  ears.  When  the  salesman  finds  that  the 
prospect  has  already  protected  his  property  by  fire  insurance, 
as  is  usually  the  case,  he  congratulates  him  on  his  judgment 
in  choosing  such  a  good  company  no  matter  what  this  may 
be  and  then  swings  the  conversation  around  to  life  insurance. 
This  flank  approach  is  frequently  much  more  effective  than 
to  approach  the  subject  directly. 

The  flank  approach  can  be  made  in  a  variety  of  ways.  A 
druggist  in  a  rural  community  for  a  long  time  tried  ineffectu- 
ally to  interest  the  farmers  in  the  outlying  country  in  his 
veterinary  medicines.  He  equipped  an  automobile  and  sent 
out  a  salesman  with  samples,  necessary  supplies,  and  instruc- 
tions to  do  only  a  cash  trade.  The  salesman  found  that  he 
had  to  face  severe  competition  from  so-called  "medicine 
wagons."  These  made  a  practice  of  leaving  medicines  with 
the  farmer  without  asking  for  payment  until  used  and  ap- 
proved. As  a  result  their  hold  on  the  business  was  so  strong 
that  he  was  unable  to  break  in.  A  consultation  followed 
between  the  druggist  and  his  salesman  and  a  new  method 
of  approach  was  devised. 

On  his  next  trip  the  salesman  carried  with  him  a  number 
of  talking  machines,  sporting  goods,  chinaware,  and  other 
objects  of  special  interest  to  the  farmer  and  his  family.  He 
then  explained  to  his  prospects  that  by  saving  the  coupons 
given  with  all  goods  purchased  at  the  drug  store  any  of  these 
premiums  could  quickly  be  secured.  Double  value  in  coupons 
would  be  given  for  every  cash  purchase  of  a  veterinary  medi- 
cine. In  this  way  interest  was  readily  secured,  sales  followed, 
and  the  druggist  adhered  to  his  policy  of  doing  a  strictly  cash 
business. 

§  74.     Do  Not  Make  It  Easy  to  Say  "No" 

No  salesman  worth  his  salt  will  make  the  mistake  of  ap- 
proaching a  likely  customer  with  a  negative  question  such  as: 


64  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

"You  can't  use  so  and  so,  can  you?"  The  natural  answer  to 
such  a  query  is  "No."  The  question,  however,  need  not  be 
put  in  the  negative  to  invite  a  negative  answer  and  thereby  a 
refusal  of  the  offer. 

For  example,  "Do  you  need  this?"  or  "Do  you  need  that?" 
are  phrases  frequently  heard  in  retail  stores.  The  obvious 
answer  to  such  queries  as  these  is  "No,"  and  the  salesman  loses 
a  chance  to  introduce  an  additional  sale.  For  instance,  a 
salesman  who  has  just  sold  some  silverware  might  ask: 
"Have  you  any  silver  polish?";  but  it  would  be  better  still 
to  say:  "Our  Peerless  Silver  Polish  will  preserve  the  luster 
of  this  article  indefinitely"  or  some  similar  statement.  Then 
whether  the  answer  of  the  customer  is  "Yes"  or  "No"  or  "I 
don't  know"  the  salesman  can  still  proceed  to  introduce  his 
line. 

"Can  I  interest  you  in  the  purchase  of  some  aluminum 
ware?"  and  "Can  I  interest  you  in  this  set  of  books?"  are 
openings  which  invariably  receive  and  deserve  a  negative 
reply.  "Our  new  line  of  aluminum  ware  you  will  find  the 
easiest  thing  to  clean  and  keep  bright  in  your  whole  kitchen." 
"This  splendid  set  of  books  contains  all  the  information  any 
child  needs  to  carry  him  to  the  eighth  grade."  "These  cards 
match  the  envelope  and  writing  paper  perfectly."  These  are 
all  forms  of  definite  statement  to  be  preferred  to  the  phrases 
which  invite  a  rejection. 

§  75.     Summary 

Whatever  the  nature  of  the  salesman's  offer  may  be,  he 
should  prepare  and  memorize  several  different  methods  of 
approach  and  study  and  rehearse  the  presentation  of  his 
goods.  No  cut-and-dried  method  will  fit  the  needs  of  all 
cases.  To  attract  attention  and  arouse  interest  it  is  important 
that  the  opening  sentence  should  dwell  upon  and  emphasize 
the  prospect's  interests  rather  than  those  of  the   salesman. 


METHODS   OF   AROUSING   INTEREST  65 

Only  when  the  salesman  is  sure  that  the  customer  is  interested 
in  what  he  has  to  say  should  he  strive  to  make  those  points 
in  which  he  himself  is  particularly  interested  as  a  vendor  of 
the  goods.  A  prospect  must  first  be  interested  in  the  propo- 
sition as  a  whole  before  its  details  are  explained  to  him. 


CHAPTER    VII 

INTERESTING  THE  RETAIL  CUSTOMER 

§  76.     The  Problem  of  the  Retail  Salesperson 

Retail  salespersons  are  not  faced  with  the  same  problem 
as  salesmen  on  the  road  and  therefore  do  not  need  the  same 
completeness  of  preparation  in  the  construction  of  sales  argu- 
ments. Yet  they  need  to  study  means  and  methods  of  arous- 
ing interest  in  the  wares  they  handle.  It  is  true  that  the 
majority  of  shoppers  enter  the  store  with  preconceived  ideas 
as  to  what  they  want.  But  their  attention  can  frequently  be 
drawn  to  goods  other  than  those  requested ;  sometimes  it  may 
be  desirable  to  call  attention  to  another  brand  of  better  value 
than  the  one  asked  for ;  means  must  be  studied  for  fixing  the 
wandering  attention  of  those  who  are  merely  looking  around; 
and  finally  the  art  of  displaying  and  describing  goods  must 
be  practiced  with  the  object  of  strengthening  the  appeal. 

§  77.     The  Attitude  of  the  Salesperson  Must  Be  Positive 

To  win  and  increase  this  interest  the  salesperson  should 
be  positive  and  enthusiastic  when  describing  the  merchandise. 
The  general  attitude  of  em.ployees  in  many  retail  stores  is 
negative  or  passive.  The  article  asked  for  is  procured;  it 
is  apathetically  placed  on  the  counter;  and  little  or  no  at- 
tempt is  made  either  to  help  the  customer  to  a  final  decision, 
if  choice  enters  into  the  transaction,  or  to  sell  something  in 
addition  to  the  original  purchase.  The  clerk's  presumption 
is  that  the  shopper,  especially  if  he  is  a  man,  knows  his  own 
mind  and  that  to  seek  to  influence  him  in  any  way  may  be 
to  court  his  displeasure,  if  not  a  rebuff. 

It  is,  however,  wholly  unnecessary  to  importune  a  cus- 

66 


INTERESTING   THE   RETAIL   CUSTOMER  67 

tomer  to  buy.  A  higher-priced  article  or  additional  merchan- 
dise will  often  be  bought  if  the  salesperson  reveals  a  little 
enterprise.  The  fact  that  customers  want  to  look  at  certain 
goods  or  are  in  the  store  making  a  tour  of  inspection,  im- 
plies a  willingness  to  be  interested  if  any  special  merchan- 
dise is  brought  to  their  attention.  The  tactful  salesperson 
presumes  that  they  will  be  glad  to  hear  about  the  qualities 
or  special  feature  of  any  goods  they  may  be  inspecting. 

§  78.     Methods  of  Interesting  the  Shopper 

Suppose,  for  instance,  a  man  has  just  bought  some  shires 
in  a  men's  furnishing  store  and  while  waiting  for  the  parcel 
looks  with  interest  at  a  display  of  ties  suspended  on  a  rack. 
It  is  then  quite  permissible  to  pick  up  the  end  of  one  and  say, 
**This  is  pure  silk — it  will  retain  its  luster."  As  the  cus- 
tomer's gaze  is  transferred  to  another  style  the  remark  may 
be  made,  "This  is  made  of  a  new  material  which  does  not 
wrinkle  easily  like  the  ordinary  tie."  The  action  can  then 
be  suited  to  the  word  by  squeezing  the  end  of  the  tie  in  the 
fingers  and  showing  that  little  or  no  impression  is  left  upon 
the  silk.  When  hats  are  under  inspection  the  remark  might 
be,  "The  shade  of  this  hat  is  unusuall};-  smart  and  would  go 
particularly  well  with  the  suit  you  are  wearing" ;  or  when 
trying  on  a  suit,  "This  is  the  new  close-fitting  style  which  is 
now  so  fashionable.  Note  also  the  finish  to  the  lining  of  this 
coat,  .  .  .  ."  and  remarks  to  this  effect. 

Positive  statements  of  this  nature  which  are  comments 
on  style,  quality,  and  value  may  be  made  in  the  course  of 
every  retail  sale.  If  in  addition  some  interesting  facts  can 
be  mentioned  about  the  material  or  about  the  purchase  itself, 
if  it  happens  to  be  a  particularly  good  "buy,"  so  much  the 
better.  These  remarks  direct  attention  to  the  good  points 
of  an  article  and  tend  to  keep  the  mind  from  dwelling  upon 
and  exaggerating  the  less  attractive  features. 


68  PREPARING   TO   MEET  THE   CUSTOMER 

Consider,  for  example,  the  sale  of  a  lady's  suit.  Should 
little  or  nothing  be  said  about  the  good  features  of  the  wear- 
ing apparel,  the  customer's  first  thought  might  be  that  she 
did  not  like  the  belt  attached  to  it  or  that  it  was  not  exactly 
the  shade  of  color  she  wanted  or  any  one  of  half  a  dozen  ob- 
jections to  the  particular  garment  might  come  to  mind.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  customers  are  invariably  looking 
for  defects  and  seeking  to  criticize.  Positive  remarks  help  to 
direct  the  thought  to  the  attractive  features  of  the  purchase. 
The  sale  is  not  necessarily  lost  if  that  particular  coat  is  not 
bought;  but  the  more  skilfully  the  customer's  requirements 
can  be  gauged  and  the  desirability  of  the  article  that  is  being 
tried  on  accentuated,  the  sooner  is  she  satisfied.  The  skill 
and  efficiency  of  the  saleswoman  are  revealed  by  her  ability 
to  satisfy  customers  quickly.  As  the  number  of  persons 
whom  she  serves  during  the  day  increases,  the  lower  be- 
comes the  percentage  of  her  selling  cost. 

§  79.     Selling  Something  Other  Than  the  Article  Asked  For 

The  retail  salesperson  should  seek  every  opportunity  to 
suggest  tactfully  one  or  more  additional  purchases.  If  the 
store  does  not  stock  the  particular  thing  desired,  the  obvious 
course  is  to  suggest  something  else.  The  management  may 
wish,  moreover,  to  close  out  a  certain  fine  of  goods;  or  an 
exceptionally  advantageous  purchase  may  have  been  made  of 
something  which  can  be  sold  to  the  advantage  of  both  the 
store  and  the  customer.  All  these  are  reasons  for  suggesting 
the  purchase  of  something  in  addition  to  the  thing  asked  for. 

§  80.     Superiority  Should  Not  Be  Claimed  Without  Proof 

When  a  brand  asked  for  cannot  be  supplied  and  a  substi- 
tute must  be  proffered,  no  claim  for  superiority  should  be 
made  unless  this  is  in  some  way  upheld.  For  instance,  a 
customer  in  a  drug  store  asks   for  a  cei^tain  cough  syrup. 


INTERESTING   THE   RETAIL   CUSTOMER  69 

The  store  does  not  keep  it  but  the  salesman  without  a  word 
brings  out  a  medicine  which  resembles  it  in  its  ingredients 
and  price.  "I  am  sorry  we  haven't  the  particular  syrup  you 
want,"  he  says,  "but  I  can  give  you  this  Cherry  Cough  Syrup 
which  we  think  is  even  better  because  .  .  .  ,"  and  here  he 
gives  the  reasons  why. 

When  it  can  truthfully  be  affirmed  that  the  article  offered 
is  better  than  the  one  asked  for,  reasons  for  the  superiority 
should  be  given;  otherwise  no  comparison  should  be  made. 
Nothing  arouses  mistrust  or  incredulity  more  rapidly  than 
comparative  and  superlative  assertions  which  are  unaccom- 
panied by  any  proof.  Nothing  is  more  convincing  than  a 
claim  of  superiority  when  supported  by  definite  reasons  which 
appeal  to  common  sense  and  experience. 

As  an  example,  a  customer  asks  for  a  cigar  which  is  not 
kept  in  stock.  The  salesman  immediately  hands  out  another 
brand  sold  at  the  same  price  and  of  about  the  same  strength 
and  size:  "We  do  not  keep  that  cigar,"  he  says,  "but  this 
one  which  is  the  same  price  and  the  same  strength  is  in  our 
opinion  a  smoother  smoking  cigar.  We  stock  it  in  preference 
to  the  other  because,  having  opened  both  cigars  and  com- 
pared them,  we  find  the  filler  of  this  to  be  of  a  much  more 
even  grade  of  tobacco."  Or,  if  the  salesman  cannot  substan- 
tiate what  he  says,  he  might  reply,  "I  am  sorry,  we  do  not 
have  that  cigar;  but  if  you  try  this  it  is  very  much  like  the 
one  you  ask  for  and  is  the  same  size  and  price." 

When  offering  an  alternative  choice  it  is  desirable  not  to 
use  the  phrase  "This  is  just  as  good."  These  words  are  the 
stock  formula  of  the  dealer  who  practices  substitution  for  his 
own  profit  and  for  this  reason  are  to  be  avoided. 

§  81.     Selling  Another  Brand  Without  Substitution 

When  it  is  the  sales  policy  of  the  store  to  introduce  a  new 
brand  or  to  sell  an  unadvertised  article  in  preference  to  ore 


70 


PREPARING  TO   MEET  THE   CUSTOMER 


that  is  advertised,  the  substitution  should  be  made  openly  and 
above  board.  The  new  product  ought  to  be  sold  on  its  merits 
v^ith  a  suggestion,  if  the  customer  adheres  to  the  first  choice, 
that  both  brands  be  tried  side  by  side. 

For  example,  a  drug  store  wishes  to  push  its  own  brand 
of  cough  syrup.  A  customer  asks  for  another  make.  While 
wrapping  up  the  one  called  for  the  salesman  may  say,  "Have 
you  tried  this  cough  syrup  before?"  If  the  customer  replies 
in  the  affirmative  this  affords  an  opportunity  to  suggest  a 
trial  of  the  store's  own  remedy  because  all  coughs  are  not 
alike.  If  the  customer's  answer  is  that  he  has  never  tried  the 
syrup  and  is  doing  so  on  the  recommendation  of  somebody 
else,  the  sales  talk  might  be:  "Sometimes  coughs  are  very 
difficult  to  cure.  If  you  find  that  this  bottle  fails  in  its  effect, 
as  coughs  are  not  all  alike  and  require  different  medicines, 
we'd  be  glad  to  have  you  try  our  brand  of  so  and  so."  The 
salesman  then  gives  further  reasons  why  the  substitute  should 
be  tried. 

A  customer  in  a  grocery  asks  for  a  certain  brand  of  canned 
corn.  As  the  salesman  procures  it  and  places  it  before  her, 
if  the  purchaser  is  a  regular  customer,  he  remarks,  "We  have 
a  new  brand  called  the  American  which  we  feel  we  can  recom- 
mend in  every  way.  I  would  like  to  have  you  try  it  and  let 
us  have  your  opinion." 

These  methods  of  introducing  different  articles  inspire 
confidence  in  the  salesman's  knowledge  and  ability  and  make 
it  comparatively  easy  for  him  to  effect  the  substitution  he 
desires — either  at  the  present  time  or  when  the  next  purchase 
is  made.  The  evident  willingness  to  supply  the  thing  re- 
quested removes  any  suspicion  as  to  the  motive  in  suggesting 
the  change.  Under  no  circumstances  should  the  desirability 
of  purchasing  a  substitute  be  mentioned  until  the  article  first 
requested  has  been  placed  in  front  of  the  customer — other- 
wise the  natural  thought  is  that  the  salesman  is  seeking  to 


INTERESTING   THE    RETAIL    CUSTOMER  71 

sell  something  from  a  motive  of  self-interest.    Distrust  is  then 
at  once  aroused. 

§  82.     The  Customer  Who  is  "Just  Looking  Around" 

In  every  big  department  store  and  in  many  of  secondary 
size  customers  like  to  look  around  merely  for  the  pleasure  of 
gazing  upon  the  pretty  things  displayed.  If  they  discover 
something  which  seems  a  particular  bargain  or  is  suitable  as 
a  gift  they  may  buy  it.  In  many  cases  the  main  object  is  to 
while  away  a  few  idle  hours. 

When  the  salesman  approaches  a  customer  who  signifies 
that  she  does  not  care  to  be  shown  anything  and  that  she 
simply  wishes  to  look  around,  he  should  discreetly  withdraw 
— still  keeping  his  eyes  upon  her  while  she  is  in  his  depart- 
ment. The  customer  must  not  know  that  she  is  being  watched 
or  that  the  salesman  is  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  ap- 
proach her  if  she  inspects  or  reveals  any  interest  in  a  par- 
ticular article,  otherwise  she  will  either  leave  the  store  or 
refrain  from  showing  interest  in  anything. 

When,  however,  a  lengthy  pause  before  a  particular  dis- 
play indicates  that  her  attention  has  been  definitely  attracted 
the  salesman  can  then  approach  her  with  the  object  of  serv- 
ing her  in  some  way.  Her  interest  has  now  been  awakened 
and  the  salesman's  task  is  to  strengthen  this  interest. 

If,  for  instance,  she  is  examining  a  show  case  containing 
hand-bags  he  would,  of  course,  not  say,  "Do  you  want  a 
hand-bag,  Madam?"  as  the  probable  reply  would  be  "No" 
and  the  customer  would  leave  the  store  feeling  that  she  had 
been  unduly  pressed  to  buy.  He  might,  however,  tactfully 
comment  upon  the  hand-bags  in  this  way:  "You  will  be  in- 
terested to  know,  Madam,  that  these  are  the  new  'sack'  de- 
signs which  are  so  popular  just  now.  They  arrived  only  yefS- 
terday."  Positive  remarks  such  as  these  about  the  goods  either 
strengthen  the  interest  which  the  customer  shows  when  she 


72 


PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 


pauses  to  inspect  a  particular  article;  or  if  she  has  little  in- 
terest in  the  thing  she  is  inspecting,  a  positive  remark  of  this 
nature  may  induce  her  either  to  examine  it  more  closely  or 
to  mention  something  else  she  is  seeking. 

§  83.    Avoid  Asking  Many  Questions 

Having  considered  a  few  of  the  things  salesmen  must  do 
to  increase  the  interest  of  the  retail  shopper  in  things  he  has 
to  offer,  let  us  now  consider  a  few  little  things  he  must  not 
do  if  he  is  to  avoid  nipping  this  interest  in  the  bud. 

Many  people  object  to  any  questions  at  the  beginning  of 
a  sale  and  they  rely  on  the  salesperson's  judgment  to  a  much 
greater  extent  than  is  realized.  When  asked  a  number  of 
questions  the  natural  thought  of  the  buyer  is  that  the  sales- 
person does  not  understand  what  is  wanted  and  therefore 
cannot  be  of  much  help  in  making  a  choice.  Especially  is  this 
so  in  the  case  of  the  woman  shopper.  This  feeling  naturally 
destroys  her  confidence  in  the  salesman's  ability  and  to  this 
extent  injures  the  possibility  of  making  a  sale. 

Imagine,  for  instance,  what  would  be  the  effect  on  a 
customer  buying  a  pair  of  gloves  if  she  were  asked  the  fol- 
lowing questions: 

Query:  Do  you  want  them  long  or  short? 

Answer:  Short. 

Query:  What  kind  of  gloves  do  you  want? 

Answer:  Kid. 

Query:  What  color  do  you  want? 

Answer:  Gray. 

Query:  What  size  do  you  want? 

Answer:  Six. 

And  so  on. 

The  crudity  of  asking  questions  is  thus  seen.  Yet  many 
retail  salesmen  request  information  of  this  kind  before  they 


INTERESTING   THE    RETAIL    CUSTOMER 


73 


turn  to  their  shelves  and  stock  in  search  of  the  desired  article. 
After  several  queries  the  impatient  or  nervous  type  of  retail 
customer  is  very  likely  to  reply,  "Never  mind,  I  don't  think 
I  vi^ill  bother  about  them  today,"  and  to  leave  the  store  in 
search  of  more  intelligent  service. 

The  salesman  must  remember  that  customers  do  not  al- 
ways know  exactly  what  they  want.  A  woman  may  need  a 
pair  of  gloves  without  having  definitely  made  up  her  mind  as 
to  the  kind,  the  quality,  or  the  color.  She  simply  knows  that 
she  wants  a  pair  and  wishes  to  see  what  the  store  has  to 
offer  before  making  a  choice.  Even  if  she  has  decided  upon 
a  particular  color  and  style  she  may  like  to  inspect  others 
so  as  to  see  if  there  is  anything  she  likes  better. 

A  safe  rule  is  that  not  more  than  one,  or  on  special  occa- 
sions perhaps  two  questions  shall  be  asked  at  the  opening  of 
a  sale.  For  example,  if  a  garment  is  being  bought  the  ques- 
tion may  be,  "Have  you  any  preference  as  to  color?" — or  a 
similar  query  in  order  to  give  the  salesman  a  lead  as  to  the 
customer's  taste.  Never  should  the  query  be  put,  "What 
price  do  you  want  to  pay?"  And  this  leads  to  the  discussion 
of  another  of  the  little  "don'ts." 

§  84.     Avoid  Mentioning  Prices 

Every  flourishing  business,  big  or  little,  is  built  upon  satis- 
faction and  the  repeat  orders  which  follow.  The  object  of 
the  retail  salesman  is  to  sell  goods  which  are  not  only  pleas- 
ing to  the  eye  but  which  will  prove  equally  satisfactory  in  use. 
The  aim  of  the  shopper  is  usually  to  get  the  biggest  value 
for  money.  Sometimes  the  customer  determines  before  en- 
tering a  store  not  to  spend  more  than  a  certain  sum  regardless 
of  whether  or  not  good  value  can  be  obtained  for  the  price. 
Consequently  it  is  always  poor  diplomacy  for  the  salesman 
to  ask  his  customer  to  name  a  price  if  he  or  she  does  not 
broach  the  subject.     When  price  is  not  mentioned  the  pre- 


74 


PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 


sumption  is  that  quality  is  desired,  quality  being  reflected  in 
the  thing  giving  satisfaction  in  wear  or  in  the  superiority 
of  its  appearance.  The  salesman's  aim  is  to  sell  what  he 
thinks  is  the  best  quality  of  goods  that  the  customer  can 
afford. 

Many  a  customer  thinks  the  price  of  an  article  high  as 
he  or  she  leaves  the  store;  but  when  the  well-made  good- 
quality  article  is  put  to  the  test  of  daily  wear,  price  is  for- 
gotten in  the  satisfaction  afforded  by  quality  and  appearance. 
Only  the  satisfied  customer  returns  with  a  repeat  order.  So 
long  as  there  is  a  reasonable  certainty  that  customers  will 
remain  satisfied  with  their  purchases  after  they  leave,  it  is 
immaterial  whether  the  price  be  more  or  less  than  the  pur- 
chaser expected  to  pay.  To  ask  what  priced  goods  to  display 
frequently  makes  it  impossible  to  sell  quality  wares. 

For  example,  a  customer  comes  into  a  store  with  the  in- 
tention of  paying  $20  for  a  suit  of  clothes  and  he  is  shown 
one  valued  at  $22  and  another  at  $25 ;  or  a  man  intends  to 
buy  a  cheap  pocket-knife  costing  50  cents  and  he  is  offered 
one  worth  a  dollar.  When  the  query  is  raised  as  to  the  price 
he  wishes  to  pay  he  probably  names  the  minimum  figure  at 
which  he  hopes  to  buy  what  he  needs.  When  once  the  cheaper 
figure  is  mentioned  something  at  that  price  must  be  shown 
and  the  opportunity  of  seUing  something  of  better  quality  at 
the  maximum  price  is  lost.  Incidentally  customers  do  not 
always  know  exactly  what  the  thing  they  need  is  worth  and 
what  price  they  should  pay.  A  man  may  have  an  indefinite 
idea  of  spending  $20  for  a  suit  of  clothes  and  yet  be  perfectly 
willing  to  pay  $30  if  he  is  offered  something  that  especially 
pleases  him. 

§  85.     Finding  the  Price  Limit 

To  choose  goods  suitable  for  the  customer's  pocket  is  a 
matter  of  judgment.       A  suit  of  clothes,  for  example,  may 


INTERESTING   THE   RETAIL   CUSTOMER 


75 


range  from  $15  to  $100;  pocket-knives  sell  from  25  cents  to 
$5  each.  It  is  natural  to  size  up  the  customer  and  estimate 
what  he  can  afford  to  pay  for  the  article  in  question  if  the 
purchase  is  for  anything  more  than  a  trifling  amount.  He 
is  then  shown  something  a  little  higher  in  price  than  he  would 
normally  ask  for. 

When  it  is  impossible  to  gauge  with  any  accuracy  how 
much  a  customer  expects  to  pay,  the  figure  can  be  ascertained 
approximately  by  showing  goods  at  several  prices.  The  ad- 
vantage of  doing  this  is  that  it  permits  values  to  be  con- 
trasted and  thus  arouses  interest  in  the  value  of  the  higher- 
priced  goods.  The  customer's  manner  will  indicate  when  the 
price  limit  has  been  reached. 

Salespeople  who  study  their  goods  and  are  acquainted 
with  their  selling  points  will  frequently  be  able  to  sell  goods 
higher  in  price  than  those  called  for.  To  do  this  they  must 
display  a  variety  of  articles,  explain  their  merits,  and  seek 
by  means  of  demonstration  and  descriptive  sales  talk  to  sell 
that  which  will  give  the  most  satisfaction  even  if  the  price 
is  higher  than  the  customer  expects  to  pay. 

§  86.     Show  the  Largest  Sized  Packages 

For  the  same  reason  that  goods  of  the  best  quality  are 
always  shown  to  a  suitable  customer,  when  a  product  is  sold 
in  different  sized  packages  the  large  size  should  be  offered 
when  no  price  is  mentioned.  These  larger  sizes  invariably 
represent  better  value  and  in  some  cases  offer  an  economy 
of  as  much  as  50  per  cent.  Often  a  customer  does  not  know 
in  what  sizes  an  article  is  packed ;  in  this  case  if  a  query  is 
put  as  to  the  quantity  desired  the  smaller  package  may  be 
chosen  where  otherwise  the  sale  of  a  large  one  can  be  made. 
When  a  small-sized  package  is  asked  for  this  should  promptly 
be  placed  before  the  customer  after  which  the  fact  can  be 
mentioned  that  a  larger  package  costing  so  much  represents 


^6  PREPARING   TO   MEET  THE   CUSTOMER 

much  better  value  and  is  a  real  economy  in  the  end.  This 
discussion  of  the  size  of  the  package  leads  to  another  little 
"don't"  relating  to  sizes. 

§  87.     Avoid  Telling  Size 

In  selling  shoes,  gloves,  or  other  articles  of  wear  which 
are  fitted  to  the  customer,  so  far  as  possible  all  questions 
relating  to  the  size  should  be  avoided.  Many  women  shop- 
pers have  peculiar  ideas  about  sizes,  especially  those  of  shoes 
and  gloves,  and  will  insist  upon  buying  a  certain  size,  if  it  Is 
once  specified,  regardless  of  fit  and  comfort.  Many  men  for- 
get the  size  worn  and  do  not  want  to  be  worried  with  such 
a  detail.  By  measuring  the  hand  or  the  foot,  in  preference 
to  asking  what  size  is  desired,  unnecessary  discussion  is 
avoided.  Incidentally  such  a  method  gives  the  customer  more 
confidence  in  the  ability  of  the  salesperson. 

§  88.     The  General  Attitude  of  the  Retail  Salesperson 

The  attitude  of  many  retail  salespeople  toward  their  cus- 
tomers is  apathetic  and  indifferent.  They  lack  enthusiasm 
in  their  work  and  this  lack,  as  we  shall  see  in  later  chapters, 
Is  largely  due  to  ignorance  of  the  attractive  features  of  their 
goods.  They  do  not  study  their  merchandise  from  the  view- 
point of  describing  it  in  terms  which  will  appeal.  As  they 
are  not  interested  in  its  finer  points  they  cannot  hope  to 
arouse  much  interest  in  the  mind  of  the  shopper.  Before  we 
can  interest  others  we  must  reveal  intense  interest  ourselves. 
When  this  interest  is  really  earnest  and  sincere  it  shows  it- 
self as  enthusiasm.  The  enthusiastic  conviction  of  the  sales- 
person can  transform  apathetic  interest  in  a  particular  article 
into  the  desire  to  buy. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
\n[VIDNESS  OF  MENTAL  IMPRESSIONS 

§  89.     Sales  Argument  Must  Be  Clear  and  Definite 

Two  salesmen  representing  rival  furniture  manufacturers 
called  the  same  day  upon  the  same  customer.  Both  offered 
well-made  goods  of  similar  style,  quality,  and  price  and  both 
houses  enjoyed  high  reputations  in  the  trade.  There  was 
little  to  choose  between  the  two  lines;  yet  one  salesman  se- 
cured a  big  order  wdiile  the  other  left  empty-handed. 

When  the  buyer  was  asked  why  he  had  given  all  his  busi- 
ness to  the  one  and  nothing  to  the  other,  his  answer  was: 

"I  should  have  liked  to  have  split  the  order  but  as  a  matter 
of  fact  one  salesman  w^as  so  indifferent  and  lazy  in  describing 
his  furniture  and  failed  to  answer  so  many  of  my  questions 
clearly  that  I  didn't  care  to  take  a  chance  with  him.  I 
couldn't  get  a  clear  idea  of  the  exact  nature  of  his  offer  and 
what  his  terms  really  were.  The  man  who  got  my  order  knew 
what  he  had,  was  definite  about  his  terms,  and  he  told  me 
what  I  could  expect  in  such  a  way  that  I  knew  what  I  was 
buying  for  my  money." 

The  Scilesman  who  failed  lacked  the  ability  to  explain  his 
proposition.  No  buyer  will  spend  money  for  something  he 
only  vaguely  understands.  When  he  receives  a  blurred  men- 
tal impression  this  can  be  due  only  to  a  lack  of  orderliness 
in  the  mind  of  the  salesman.  The  latter  fails  to  appreciate 
the  importance  of  preparing  and  memorizing  a  definite,  clear- 
cut  statement.  Without  preliminary  preparation  he  cannot 
make  a  vivid  impression  upon  the  prospect.  Because  he  him- 
sAi  understands  his  proposition  in  every  detail  he  thinks  that 

77 


78 


PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 


a  more  or  less  perfunctory  explanation  will  make  it  equally 
clear  to  the  buyer.  Yet  many  people  lack  sufficient  imagina- 
tion to  picture  vividly  anything  which  is  not  outlined  to  them 
in  every  detail. 

§  go.     Details  of  Argument  Must  be  Logically  Arranged 

Progress  along  the  stages  of  the  mental  journey  from  at- 
tention to  action  is  possible  only  when  the  sales  talk  conveys 
a  clear  impression  of  what  the  goods  or  the  service  will  do. 
Clarity  is  first  of  all  dependent  on  the  careful  preparatory 
grouping  of  like  details  under  the  talking  point  to  which  they 
belong.  Without  this  preparation  the  sales  talk  is  sure  to 
ramble  vaguely  from  one  point  to  another.  One  cannot  con- 
vey to  the  mind  of  another  more  than  is  in  one's  own.  If  the 
salesman  has  merely  memorized  a  hodgepodge  of  facts  about 
his  proposition  he  cannot  hope  to  produce  a  clear  and  satis- 
factory impression  upon  the  mind  of  the  buyer. 

In  addition  to  clarity  and  logical  order  in  the  presentation 
of  the  facts,  attention  must  also  be  given  to  vividness,  so  that 
the  statements  made  will  impress  the  imagination  and  remain 
in  the  memory.  To  make  the  appeal  clear  and  vivid  three 
things  should  be  borne  in  mind  in  the  construction  of  the 
sales  arguments: 

1.  Definiteness  of  statement 

2.  Use  of  similes  and  metaphors 

3.  Reasoning  by  analogy 

§  91.     Definiteness  of  Statement 

The  average  mind  does  not  grasp  an  abstract  or  general 
statement  so  readily  as  a  definite  statement  of  concrete  facts. 
For  example,  the  assertion,  "This  book  is  very  useful,"  is 
vague  and  indefinite.  Compare  it  with  this  more  definite 
assertion:  "This  encyclopedia  will  give  you  complete  in- 
formation upon  almost  any  subject."     The  first  statement  is 


VIVIDNESS   OF   MENTAL   IMPRESSIONS  79 

abstract;  it  is  general;  it  presents  no  concrete  idea.  The 
second  is  more  definite  and  lucid;  it  conveys  easily  under- 
stood facts.  It  becomes  still  more  definite  when  the  follow- 
ing details  are  added:  "This  encyclopedia  will  give  you  com- 
plete mformation  about  history,  law,  natural  science,  lives 
of  great  men,  all  the  arts,  and  any  other  subject  you  wish  to 
study." 

A  general  or  indefinite  statement  weakens  the  argument 
unless  it  is  at  once  nailed  down  with  a  concrete  example. 
The  cash  register  salesman  says  to  the  dealer:  "You  have 
leaks  in  your  business."  He  then  promptly  adds  in  order 
to  drive  home  this  general  statement:  "through  failure  to 
charge  goods  sold  on  credit,  through  waste  of  supplies, 
through  errors  in  figuring.  ..."  The  retailer  might  con- 
tend that  his  business  was  too  efficiently  managed  to  permit 
serious  leakages  without  detection,  when  leakage  is  consid- 
ered in  general ;  he  cannot  deny  that  any  one  of  the  particular 
leaks  referred  to  may  be  occurring  daily  in  his  store. 

A  motor  truck  salesman  may  make  the  statement,  "With 
these  trucks  you  can  increase  your  field  of  operations."  A 
much  more  effective  assertion  would  be,  "By  using  three  of 
our  motor  trucks  you  can  cover  a  twenty-mile  radius  where 
you  now  cover  only  twelve.  You  can  take  in  White  Field, 
Hillsdale,  Lock  Port,  and  twenty  other  towns  at  that  dis- 
tance and  increase  your  probable  customers  by  several  thou- 
sand." The  second  statement  creates  a  definite  mental  pic- 
ture ;  the  first  leaves  to  the  imagination  the  task  of  visualizing 
the  usefulness  of  a  motor  truck. 

A  salesman  selling  bond  paper  may  make  the  assertion, 
which  doubtless  is  perfectly  true,  "Our  bond  paper  is  of  a 
very  fine  quality  indeed  and  is  as  good  as  anything  that  is 
made";  but  he  would  create  a  much  more  vivid  impression 
by  asserting,  "Bond  paper  is  impressive  for  business  station- 
ery.    It  is  tough,  heavy  in  appearance,  and  conveys  an  im- 


8o  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

pression  of  solidity."     In  this  way  a  general   statement  is 
illustrated  with  concrete  facts. 

§  92.     Use  of  Similes  and  Metaphors 

Definiteness  of  statement  tends  to  check  and  curb  exag- 
geration and  to  pin  the  assertion  of  the  salesman  down  to 
facts.  The  use  of  similes  or  metaphors  so  visualizes  these 
facts  that  they  take  concrete  and  tangible  form  in  the  buyer's 
mind.  A  simile  is  a  form  of  comparison  which  likens  a  lit- 
tle known  thing  to  something  more  readily  visualized.  A 
metaphor  is  a  similar  mode  of  comparison  but  without  any' 
explicit  statement  of  the  relationship.  Consequently  it  usually 
takes  the  form  of  a  figure  of  speech  and  the  comparison  in- 
stead of  being  direct  is  indirect. 

The  statement  that  "White's  Cream  Bread  melts  like 
butter  in  the  mouth"  is  a  direct  comparison,  a  simile.  The 
statement  that  "the  enterprising  head  of  White's  Bakery  is 
the  Napoleon  of  the  bread  business"  would  be  a  metaphor. 
An  insurance  salesman  when  discussing  the  danger  of  death 
overtaking  a  customer  at  any  time  does  not  care  to  use  this 
lugubrious  word.  He  avoids  reference  to  it  by  the  use  of 
*.he  metaphorical  phrase  "the  long  arm  of  the  gentleman  with 
the  scythe  is  apt  to  come  for  you  at  any  time." 

The  effectiveness  of  similes  and  metaphors  lies  in  the  fact 
that  they  connect  the  new  and  untested  assertion  with  ideas 
already  familiar  to  the  prospect.  From  this  it  follows  that 
the  more  the  salesman  can  link  his  talk  or  his  argument  with 
similes  and  metaphors  that  are  based  on  the  customer's  sur- 
roundings or  on  the  conditions  under  which  he  is  carrying 
on  business,  the  more  convincing  will  be  his  sales  talk. 

§  93.     The  Construction  of  Similes  and  Metaphors 

The  use  of  similes  presents  little  difificulty  as  everything 
can  readily  be  compared  with  something  else.    Nor  is  it  essen- 


VIVIDNESS   OF   MENTAL   IMPRESSIONS  8 1 

tial  that  the  comparison  be  striking  and  original.  The  state- 
ment that  something  will  melt  like  butter  in  the  mouth  may 
be  a  hackneyed  and  trite  expression  but  it  still  holds  up  a 
very  definite  picture  to  the  mind,  because  everybody  knows 
just  how  butter  does  melt  when  in  that  particular  position. 
A  salesman  offering  a  book  of  adventure  to  a  customer  might 
say  that  "It's  just  as  thrilling  as  Treasure  Island."  A  story 
that  is  as  exciting  as  Treasure  Island  must  be  very  exciting  in- 
deed if  one  remembers  the  thrill  experienced  in  reading  Rob- 
ert Louis  Stevenson's  masterpiece. 

The  use  of  metaphor  is  rather  more  difficult  than  the  use 
of  similes  as  the  analogy  is  not  so  obvious.  When  a  cleverly 
conceived  metaphor  relates  to  something  which  is  well  known 
to  the  customer  or  falls  within  his  experience  it  is  the  strong- 
est of  all  arguments.  Metaphor  can  often  be  effectively  used 
to  show  the  weakness  of  the  unreasoned  objection  by  turning 
it  into  mild  ridicule — as  in  the  incident  described  below,  which 
also  illustrates  reasoning  by  analogy. 

§  94.     Reasoning  by  Analogy 

A  grocer  had  decided  to  buy  a  cash  register  but  could 
not  make  up  his  mind  as  to  the  particular  style  of  machine 
to  purchase.  The  cash  register  salesman  believed  that  it 
would  be  to  the  retailer's  advantage  to  invest  in  a  $600  ma- 
chine. The  retailer  thought  that  a  $200  outfit  would  meet 
his  requirements.  The  higher-priced  machine  offered  much 
more  protection  and  information  than  the  smaller  one;  but 
to  have  stated  the  fact  baldly  would  not  have  carried  convic- 
tion or  made  a  vivid  impression.  The  salesman  knew  this 
and  so  he  made  his  point  in  this  way: 

"Suppose,  Mr.  Brown,  that  you  had  a  cabbage  patch  and 
just  outside  this  patch  were  a  lot  of  pigs  and  sheep  and  cows 
that  were  running  over  it  and  spoiling  it.  A  two-foot  fence 
would  keep  out  the  pigs  and  still  the  sheep  and  the  cows 


82  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

could  easily  climb  over.  A  lour-foot  fence  would  exclude  the 
pigs  and  sheep  and  still  leave  the  cows  free  to  get  in.  A  six- 
foot  fence  would  keep  them  all  out.  Now  what  you  want 
is  a  six-foot  cash  register  to  keep  out  all  chance  of  any  errors 
creeping  in.  Why  not  protect  yourself  against  even  the  ex- 
ceptional mistakes  which  arise  in  every  store  where  the  book- 
keeping is  entrusted  to  human  hands  and  unreliable  memory 
instead  of  to  a  reliable  machine?" 

This  illustration  makes  clear  the  value  of  metaphor  and 
also  the  forcefulness  of  reasoning  by  analogy.  In  this  case 
the  analogy  was  so  plain  as  to  convince  the  prospect  that  the 
contemplated  purchase  of  the  low-priced  register  would  be 
a  waste  of  money  when  the  real  needs  of  his  store  were  con- 
sidered. But  this  decided  change  in  mental  attitude  would 
not  have  taken  place  if  the  salesman  had  merely  said,  "This 
more  expensive  outfit  is  what  you  need  because  it  will  give 
you  greater  protection  and  better  results." 

§  95-     Comparative  Statements  Strengthened  by  Analogy 

Reasoning  by  analogy  is  argument  based  on  the  similarity 
of  relations  between  different  things  and  is  always  an  effec- 
tive method  of  supporting  an  assertion  or  claim  that  is  hard 
to  prove. 

For  example,  a  prospect  who  was  skeptical  as  to  the 
standing  of  a  certain  business  said  to  its  representative: 
"Well,  who  is  your  firm  anyway?" 

"Our  firm  is  rapidly  growing  and  now  employs  over  a 
thousand  workmen.     It  .  .  ." 

"If  it  is  as  large  as  you  state  why  have  I  never  heard  of 
it?"  interrupted  the  prospect. 

"Well,  that's  not  very  strange,"  replied  the  salesman. 
"Have  you  ever  heard  of  Bell  and  Company  or  the  Stock- 
holm Manufacturing  Company  or  the  Hotchkiss  Company?" 

"No,"  replied  the  prospect. 


VIVIDNESS   OF   MENTAL   IMPRESSIONS  83 

**Yet  these  are  the  largest  concerns  of  their  kind  in  the 
country  and  we  come  a  close  second.  So  it  is  not  very  sur- 
prising that  you  have  never  heard  of  us." 

To  have  met  the  question  of  the  prospect  with  a  reitera- 
tion of  his  first  assertion  or  to  have  ignored  it  would  have 
left  the  buyer  still  skeptical  as  to  the  standing  of  the  firm  he 
was  asked  to  deal  with.  To  prove  to  him  by  analogy  that  if 
he  had  never  heard  of  the  most  important  houses  in  the  trade 
it  was  not  surprising  for  him  to  be  unacquainted  with  the 
firm  running  a  close  second  was  an  effective  method  of  an- 
swering his  doubts  and  objection. 

§  96.     The   Usefulness   of   Analogy   in   Combating   Illogical 
Arguments 

A  salesman  selling  an  adding  machine  was  told  by  a  pros- 
pective purchaser  that  a  friend  of  the  latter  who  used  such  a 
device  found  it  unsatisfactory,  because  at  the  end  of  the  day 
the  figures  which  it  added  and  which  were  taken  from  sales 
slips  frequently  failed  to  balance  with  the  cash.  This  of 
course  was  a  foolish  objection  because  the  discrepancy  must 
in  all  probability  have  been  due  to  errors  on  the  part  of  the 
clerks.  An  adding  machine  in  proper  working  order  cannot 
make  mistakes. 

To  point  out  the  weakness  not  to  say  folly  of  this  argu- 
ment the  salesman  replied,  "A  teacher  on  leaving  the  class- 
room for  a  few  minutes  once  placed  one  of  the  boys  at  the 
head  of  the  class  with  orders  to  report  any  breaking  of  the 
rules.  When  she  returned  the  boy  reported  three  of  the 
pupils  who  had  misbehaved,  whereupon  the  teacher  gave  him 
a  whipping  for  'telling  on'  his  classmates." 

The  value  of  reasoning  in  this  way  is  that  it  enables  the 
salesman  to  show  up  the  weakness  of  many  of  the  trivial 
objections  that  are  made  to  his  offer.  The  same  stereotyped 
objections  confront  him  again   and   again  but   with   a  little 


84  PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 

mental  ingenuity  he  can  prepare  effective  answers.  If  he 
can  illustrate  the  weakness  of  the  objection  by  means  of 
analogy  in  the  way  cited,  so  much  the  better.  Every  pros- 
pect resents  contradiction  or  mere  dogmatic  assertion.  But 
every  intelligent  man  is  willing  to  acknowledge  his  judgment 
or  his  opinion  to  have  been  erroneous  if  his  error  is  pointed 
out  to  him  in  an  indirect  and,  preferably,  humorous  way. 

§  97.     Suggestions  for  Strengthening  the  Sales  Argument 

The  more  the  argument  is  illumined  or  clarified  in  the 
way  outlined  in  this  chapter  the  more  vivid  and  convincing 
it  will  be  as  a  whole.  In  order  to  profit  from  the  suggestions 
here  given  the  salesman  is  advised  to  elaborate  each  talking 
point  into  a  complete  argument  as  described  in  Chapter  IV. 
He  can  then  go  over  each  argument  in  detail,  first,  in  order 
to  group  the  different  details  under  the  head  or  talking  point 
to  which  they  naturally  refer ;  second,  to  see  which  general  or 
indefinite  statements  can  be  made  more  specific  and  definite ; 
third,  to  note  what  statements  are  comparative  in  their  nature 
and  can  therefore  be  strengthened  by  the  use  of  simile;  and 
finally,  to  search  for  ways  of  strengthening  each  argument 
or  talking  point  by  the  use  of  analogy  or  a  metaphorical 
story. 

To  the  novice  unversed  in  the  art  of  composition  this  may 
seem  a  difficult  task.  It  is  not  to  be  done  in  a  day  or  a  week. 
If,  however,  the  salesman  will  constantly  bear  in  mind  the 
possibility  of  improving  his  sales  talk  in  the  way  suggested 
until  it  scintillates  and  sparkles  with  the  brain  work  put  into 
it,  many  ideas  will  occur  to  him  during  his  leisure  moments 
when  he  is  turning  the  subject  over  in  his  mind.  The  more 
he  concentrates  on  it,  the  more  ideas  for  its  improvement  will 
come  to  mind.  The  final  result  will  be  a  clear,  convincing, 
original  sales  talk  which  will  be  listened  to  with  interest  an3 
will  carry  conviction  to  the  apathetic  or  antagonistic  mind. 


CHAPTER  IX 

WINNING  THE  INTERVIEW 

§  98.    To  Break  In  Is  Often  Half  the  Battle 

A  keen  young  salesman  carefully  trained  himself  in  the 
art  of  demonstrating  his  goods;  he  committed  every  con- 
ceivable talking  point  to  memory;  the  old  hands  at  the  game 
taught  him  how  to  answer  all  likely  objections  with  apt  and 
telling  replies — until  he  knew  what  to  say  and  do  under 
every  conceivable  circumstance.  Finally  he  was  sent  out  on 
the  road  to  interview  heads  of  large  corporations  who  usually 
had  to  be  reached  through  a  clerk  at  the  information  desk. 

He  started  on  his  round  brimful  of  enthusiasm.  He  re- 
turned in  less  than  a  month  with  all  his  "pep"  gone  and  with- 
out an  order.  When  asked  to  explain  the  cause  of  his  failure 
his  answer  was,  "I  knew  just  what  to  do  when  I  met  the  pros- 
pect.    The  trouble  was  I  never  got  near  him." 

A  salesman  may  study  his  goods  and  his  market,  memorize 
his  talking  points,  assemble  them  into  two  or  three  complete 
sales  talks,  and  be  primed  to  meet  every  conceivable  objection; 
yet  if  he  is  held  at  arm's  length  and  can  only  occasionally 
break  through  the  outer  defenses  of  his  prospects  his  value  as 
a  producer  will  be  small. 

§  99.     One  Definite  Rule  You  Can  Always  Apply 

There  is  no  sure  method  of  breaking  into  the  buyer's  pres- 
ence. There  is,  however,  one  rule  which  every  salesman  can 
safely  adopt  at  all  times :  Never  be  discouraged  when  you  art 
refused  an  interview  but  try,  try  again.  The  very  persistence 
of  your  calling  will  in  time  at  least  create  respect  and  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  break  down  opposition. 

85 


86  PREPARING  TO   MEET  THE  CUSTOMER. 

Buyers  often  judge  the  mettle  of  a  new  salesman  largely 
by  his  persistence  in  calling  regularly  in  spite  of  rebuffs.  The 
man  who  turns  up  again  and  again  in  the  face  of  previous 
"turn  downs,"  always  with  the  same  smile  and  always  with  the 
expectancy  that  to  grant  him  an  inter\^iew  is  the  most  natural 
thing  in  the  world,  will  be  sure  to  win  this  interview  in  the 
end. 

§  100.     Reasons  Why  the  Buyer  Refuses  an  Interview 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  prospective  customer's 
refusal  of  an  interview  may  come  from  any  of  several  reasons 
which  may  not  exist  at  the  salesman's  next  visit.  Possibly  the 
buyer  decides  that  the  goods  are  of  no  immediate  interest  and 
that  an  interview  will  be  a  waste  of  time.  Again,  his  relations 
with  a  firm  which  at  present  supplies  him  may  be  such  as  he 
does  not  wish  to  break  ofif.  When  the  salesman  again  calls 
the  former  harmonious  relationship  may  no  longer  exist  and 
a  chance  for  an  opening  arises. 

The  refusal  may  not  be  due  to  business  but  to  purely  per- 
sonal reasons.  Perhaps  the  buyer  feels  unwell  or  worried — or 
he  may  be  anxious  to  leave  the  office  early  to  meet  his  wife — 
or  any  of  a  score  of  reasons  may  keep  him  from  granting  an 
interview  at  the  time  of  the  salesman's  call.  Whatever  the 
reason  the  refusal  is  usually  in  the  form  of  a  stereotyped 
excuse  to  the  effect  that  "Mr.  Brown  is  too  busy  to  see  you 
today,"  or,  "Mr.  Brown  says  there  is  nothing  wanted  on  this 
trip." 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  when  no  indication  is  given  of 
the  reason  for  refusal  the  presumption  is  that  another  call  may 
prove  more  effective 

§  loi.     When  to  Force  an  Interview 

Every  refusal  to  grant  an  interview  creates  a  situation  that 
needs  to  be  handled  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 


WINNING  THE  INTERVIEW  87 

Where  the  salesman  represents  a  wholesale  house  and 
knows  that  he  will  be  making  the  same  trip  several  times 
during  the  course  of  a  year,  the  better  policy  may  be  to  leave 
his  card  if  the  buyer  will  not  see  him.  As  he  leaves  the  office 
he  says  to  the  information  clerk  or  telephone  operator,  "I  am 
sorry  Mr.  Jones  cannot  see  me  today.  I  will  call  on  my  next 
round  when  I  hope  to  find  he  has  more  time  to  spare." 

In  such  a  case  pertinacity  and  regularity  in  calling — al- 
ways with  the  same  cheerful  smile — will  in  time  break  down 
the  opposition  of  any  buyer  who  has  no  personal  grudge 
against  the  salesman  or  his  house. 

The  specialty  salesman  can  usually  call  again  only  after  a 
long  interval.  If  his  work  is  to  be  productive  and  pay  for  the 
heavy  cost  of  personal  solicitation  he  must  gain  the  ear  of  a 
certain  number  of  customers  daily.  To  serve  the  purpose  of 
an  entering  wedge  advertising  literature  or  a  series  of  form 
letters  will  probably  have  been  sent  ahead  of  him  with  the 
object  of  interesting  the  prospective  customer  sui^ciently  to 
make  him  willing  to  grant  an  interview.  A  refusal  after  this 
preliminary  approach  would  imply  that  he  is  still  not  interested 
and  other  tactics  must  be  adopted. 

In  some  cases  ingenuity  may  be  needed  or  a  little  audacity 
in  forcing  an  interview  may  be  recommended.  It  is  advisable, 
however,  never  to  try  to  force  one's  presence  on  a  customer 
until  he  has  been  called  upon  several  times  without  avail,  or 
unless  correspondence  has  preceded  the  call. 

§  102.     Polite  In5?istence  Always  Worth  a  Trial 

Sometimes  a  happy  way  of  insisting  upon  an  interview 
may  prove  effective  and  is  always  worth  a  trial. 

A  salesman  selling  a  specialty  in  the  mechanical  field  made 
a  special  trip  to  a  large  automobile  factory  near  Detroit.  A 
pleasant  young  woman  at  the  information  desk  sent  forward 
his  card  to  the  general  manager  whom  he  particularly  wished 


88  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

to  see.  A  messenger  returned  with  the  words  scribbled  on 
the  back  of  the  card:  "Too  busy  to  see  you  today — Directors' 
Meeting." 

"How  long  does  this  meeting  last?"  he  asked  the  girl. 

"About  two  hours." 

"I'll  wait  until  it  is  over  and  then  perhaps  the  general  man- 
ager will  see  me." 

"It's  useless,"  she  replied.  "He  will  be  much  too  busy  and 
he  always  refuses  to  see  anybody  after  a  directors'  meeting. 
Did  you  arrange  an  appointment?" 

"No,"  replied  the  salesman. 

"Then  I'd  advise  you  to  do  so  and  call  again." 

The  salesman  paused  to  reflect  as  he  approached  the  steps 
leading  from  the  main  ofifice.  After  a  few  moments  he  re- 
turned to  the  information  desk.  Taking  out  another  card  he 
wrote  on  the  back  of  it: 

"I  merely  want  to  shake  you  by  the  hand  and  look  you  in 
the  eye  so  that  next  year  when  I  call  again  and  you  have  more 
time  you  will  know  what  I  look  like." 

He  asked  the  girl  to  send  this  message  in  to  the  general 
manager.  The  card  returned  with  the  answer,  "Will  see  you 
at  four  this  afternoon."  The  two  hours  interval  the  sales- 
man filled  in  with  a  stroll  through  the  town  until  he  finally 
secured  the  coveted  interview. 

§  103.     When  to  Avoid  Mentioning  Nature  of  Business 

Sometimes  the  better  policy  is  not  to  announce  the  name 
of  the  firm  represented  or  the  nature  of  its  business.  This  is 
especially  applicable  to  the  sale  of  certain  specialties  in  which 
the  prospect  thinks  he  is  is  not  interested.  In  such  a  case  it 
may  be  necessary  to  gain  admittance  by  pertinacious  insistence 
without  stating  the  nature  of  the  business  until  face  to  face 
with  the  buyer. 

For  instance,  when  a  cash  register  salesman  enters  a  store 


WINNING   THE   INTERVIEW  89 

he  walks  up  to  the  person  whom  he  judges  to  be  the  store- 
keeper and  says,  "Is  this  Mr.  Johnson?"  If  the  person  ad- 
dressed proves  to  be  a  clerk  he  is  flattered  at  being  mistaken 
for  the  proprietor.  If  he  is  a  clerk  and  replies,  "Mr.  Johnson 
is  busy,"  the  salesman  answers,  "Very  well,  I  will  wait  a  few 
minutes  until  he  is  at  liberty."  If  the  proprietor  is  out, 
"Very  well,  I  will  call  again.     When  is  he  likely  to  be  in?" 

When  the  clerk  asks,  "What  is  your  business?  What  do 
you  want  to  see  him  about?"  the  salesman  replies,  "I  want 
to  see  Mr.  Johnson  personally.  I  will  wait  until  I  can  see 
him."  If  the  clerk  is  insistent  or  reveals  annoyance  at  the 
secrecy,  the  salesman  answers,  "My  name  is  Smith.  Will  you 
please  tell  Mr.  Johnson  that  Mr.  Smith  wishes  to  see  him  and 
explain  his  business  to  him  personally." 

When  the  salesman  finally  comes  face  to  face  with  the 
proprietor,  if  he  is  asked  to  explain  his  business,  he  openly 

states  the  reason  for  his  call — "I  represent  the  Cash 

Register  Company."  This  opening  puts  the  salesman  on  a 
square  footing.  If  the  prospect  has  any  objection  to  granting 
an  interview  or  any  reasons  for  refusing  to  listen  to  the  sales- 
man's talk  about  cash  registers  his  fire  is  drawn  at  once. 

§  104.     Ask  for  an  Interview  with  a  Definite  Person 

As  a  rule  it  is  an  advantage  when  seeking  an  interview 
to  be  able  to  ask  to  see  Mr.  So-and-so  rather  than  an  indefinite 
person  such  as  the  buyer,  the  manager,  or  the  merchandise 
man. 

A  salesman  handling  office  appliances  found  that  whenever 
he  asked  if  the  "buyer  of  supplies"  was  in  he  nearly  always 
met  with  a  request  for  his  card  or  was  asked  to  state  his 
business.  He  finally  concluded  that  the  very  fact  of  asking 
for  "the  buyer"  hurt  his  chances  of  winning  an  interview. 

He  decided  that  it  would  be  better  to  find  out  the  buyer's 
name  and  then  introduce  himself  in  such  a  way  as  to  convey 


90  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

the  impression  that  he  was  expected.  On  some  occasions  he 
was  able  to  ascertain  the  buyer's  name  in  advance  but  more 
often  he  entered  the  office  of  a  prospect  without  this  informa- 
tion.    To  conceal  his  ignorance  his  method  was — "I  want  to 

see  Mr.  ,  Mr.  ,  Dear  me,  I  can't  recall  his  name! 

Who  is  the  buyer  of  office  supplies?" 

The  girl  at  the  information  desk  generally  replied,  "Is  it 

Mr, you  mean?"  to  which  the  salesman  answered  "Yes." 

That's  the  man  I  want.  Please  tell  him  that  Mr.  Blank  is 
here.  A  card  is  unnecessary."  The  girl  would  then  either 
telephone  to  the  buyer  or  send  in  a  message  to  the  effect  that 
"Mr.  Blank  has  called,  sir."  The  buyer  wondering  who  Mr. 
Blank  was  and  if  he  had  an  appointment  with  him  would  in 
some  cases  see  the  salesman  so  as  to  be  on  the  safe  side. 

§  105.     Ask  for  an  Interview  as  if  Expected 

The  winning  of  an  interview  as  in  the  example  already 
cited  is  much  easier  if  one  approaches  with  the  attitude  of 
expecting  to  receive  it.  When  we  doubt  whether  a  favor 
will  be  granted  we  invite  a  refusal;  but  if  we  treat  it  as  a 
matter  of  course  we  are  much  more  likely  to  receive  it.  It 
is  obvious  that  when  a  salesman  calls  and  asks  if  the  buyer  or 
the  manager  is  in  he  does  not  know  the  name  of  the  person  he 
wants  to  see.  A  question  such  as  this  exposes  his  business 
and  his  ignorance.  The  information  clerk  goes  to  the  buyer 
and  says: 

"There's  a  salesman  who  wants  to  see  you,  sir." 

"Tell  him  I'm  busy,"  is  a  frequent  reply  before  the  prospect 
even  looks  at  the  card. 

The  salesman  should  fortify  his  persistence  by  reflecting 
that  three-quarters  of  all  business  is  transacted  by  means  of 
salesmen  and  that  it  is  all  in  the  day's  routine  for  wholesale 
buyers,  purchasing  agents,  and  retailers  to  refuse  at  times  to 
grant  an  interview.    A  prerogative  of  the  salesman  is  to  be 


WINNING  THE   INTERVIEW  9I 

persistent  when  he  beheves  he  has  something  of  interest  and 
profit  to  show  to  the  buyer. 

§  106.     The  Adroit  Use  of  Samples 

Samples  can  sometimes  be  used  as  a  means  of  gaining  an 
interview  when  the  direct  approach  fails.  The  wholesale 
salesman  who  wishes  to  display  his  samples  and  is  not  given 
an  opportunity  to  do  so  often  feels  that  if  only  the  buyer  could 
be  shown  the  new  lines,  business  would  be  secured  in  spite  of 
a  previous  reluctance  to  look  at  them. 

Among  the  customers  of  a  wholesale  millinery  house  were 
several  department  store  buyers  who  were  usually  inaccessible 
if  the  salesman  chanced  to  call  while  they  were  in  their  offices. 
Not  infrequently  the  word  came  back  that  "nothing  was 
wanted  on  this  trip"  or  "I'm  too  busy."  It  is  true  the  sales- 
man might  have  sent  up  a  second  message  to  an  inaccessible 
buyer  saying  that  he  wished  to  show  a  few  special  lines  and 
that  he  wanted  to  see  him  for  a  few  minutes  only,  but  ex- 
perience proved  that  the  chance  of  thus  winning  an  interview 
was  slender.  Finally  as  the  best  way  out  of  the  difficulty  he 
adopted  the  following  plan : 

When  he  returned  to  his  hotel  late  in  the  afternoon  he 
selected  a  few  "specials"  which  he  thought  would  prove  most 
tempting  in  their  appeal  to  the  two  or  three  most  important 
buyers  who  had  refused  to  see  him.  He  sent  these  by  special 
messenger  to  the  offices  of  the  buyers  with  a  note  worded  as 
follows : 

"Sorry  you  were  so  busy  when  I  called  today.  To  save 
your  time  I  am  sending  by  special  messenger  a  few  samples 
of  my  novelties  which  I  feel  I  ought  to  show  you  before  leav- 
ing town.  Look  them  over  at  your  leisure  between  now  and 
ten  o'clock  tomorrow  morning.  I  will  be  at  the  store  about 
that  time.  Don't  want  to  leave  town  without  shaking  hands 
with  you  at  any  rate." 


92 


PREPARING   TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 


No  plan  is  ever  uniformly  successful,  but  persistence  in 
trying  different  means  will  secure  many  interviews  that  other- 
wise would  never  be  granted.  Every  wholesale  salesman 
carries  among  his  samples  two  or  three  attractive  leaders  to 
be  used  in  securing  an  opening,  or  else  he  knows  which  items 
in  his  line  will  most  please  the  fancy  of  a  particular  buyer. 
The  use  of  these  in  the  way  outlined  will  often  be  found  efifec- 
tive  when  everything  else  has  failed.  The  buyer  naturally 
looks  over  the  samples  and,  whether  interested  or  not,  at  least 
feels  under  the  obligation  of  thanking  the  salesman  for  the 
trouble  he  has  taken — if  only  to  "shake  hands." 

§  107.     Heroic  Methods  Sometimes  Needed 

The  more  difBcult  an  article  is  to  sell,  such  as  a  service 
or  a  high-priced  specialty,  the  greater  as  a  rule  will  be  the 
obstacles  encountered  when  breaking  through  the  outer  bar- 
ricades with  which  many  business  men  and  buyers  protect 
themselves  from  the  insistent  salesman.  The  more  heroic,  ac- 
cordingly, must  be  the  means  adopted  to  get  an  interview. 
The  result,  however,  must  justify  the  salesman's  persistence. 
An  interview  gained  by  means  of  insistence,  or  by  means  of 
"nerve,"  would  be  worse  than  useless  if,  when  it  opens,  the 
salesman  is  unable  to  take  complete  command  of  the  situation. 

A  salesman  representing  an  advertising  novelty  house 
which  was  as  yet  unknown,  knew  that  if  he  could  once  secure 
the  ear  of  certain  prospects  his  offer  was  such  that  in  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  business  would  result.  The  words  "advertis- 
ing novelty,"  however,  conveyed  little  to  the  business  man 
beyond  the  fact  that  one  more  salesman  wanted  to  see  him, 
probably  to  waste  his  time.  The  salesman's  firm  supplied  its 
men  with  tasteful  business  cards ;  but  as  these  explained  noth- 
ing they  all  too  frequently  acted  as  a  hindrance  rather  than 
a  help.  The  problem  was  to  win  the  ear  of  a  prospect  before 
announcing  the  nature  of  the  business. 


WINNING   THE   INTERVIEW  93 

The  salesman  determined  to  change  his  tactics  and  dis- 
card the  use  of  a  card  as  a  means  of  passing  the  outer  guard. 
When  asked  by  the  information  clerk  what  he  wanted  he 
said,  "Tell  Mr.  Jones  that  Mr.  Blank  has  called." 

When  the  messenger  returned  with  the  request  for  his 
card,  as  was  frequently  the  case,  he  replied:  *T  have  no  cards. 
Wait  a  minute,  though,  I  will  give  you  a  note." 

Thereupon. tearing  a  plain  sheet  of  paper  from  a  pad  he 
wrote  in  pencil,  "I  have  to  leave  town  tonight.  Cannot  return 
for  three  months.  Must  see  you  now  for  four  minutes  if 
possible  to  make  report  complete.  Persistent  in  asking  for 
an  interview  because  the  matter  is  urgent  and  vital  for  you." 

This  free  and  easy  message  while  not  very  explicit  was 
at  least  courageous.  We  all  admire  courage  and  pertinacity 
and  neither  a  business  man  nor  his  buyer  ever  resents  the 
torcing  of  an  interview  if  the  salesman  quickly  justifies  his 
aggressiveness  in  his  opening  statement. 

§  108.     The  Nerve  of  a  Book  Salesman 

If  the  path  of  the  salesman  selling  such  a  specialty  as  ad- 
vertising is  thorny,  that  of  the  high-priced  book  salesman  is 
barricaded  with  rocks  and  barred  gates.  As  a  rule  the  book 
canvasser  works  doggedly  and  persistently,  knowing  that  the 
law  of  averages  will  in  the  end  atone  for  all  things  and  that 
if  he  only  calls  on  a  suf^cient  number  of  persons  he  will  gain 
a  certain  number  of  orders.  Some  men,  however,  adopt  a 
more  courageous  attitude  with  proportionately  better  results. 
They  know  that  their  address  and  personality  are  such  as  to 
permit  them  to  take  chances  in  securing  an  interview  by  means 
of  courageous  diplomacy,  and  ingenuity  is  often  revealed  in 
the  means  they  adopt  to  this  end. 

An  artist  in  salesmanship  with  a  fair  share  of  that  courage 
which  goes  by  the  name  of  "nerve,"  determined  to  secure  an 
order  for  a  high-priced  set  of  books  from  a  bank  president. 


94 


PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE  CUSTOMER 


There  seemed  little  hope  oi  an  interview  because  a  man  of 
commercial  eminence  will  not  as  a  rule  see  anybody  until  his 
secretary  and  perhaps  his  confidential  clerk  have  first  inspected 
and  passed  upon  the  names  of  those  seeking  admittance.  A 
few  casual  inquiries  revealed  the  fact  that  the  bank  president 
was  known  to  his  college  chums  by  the  nickname  of  "Chic," 
an  abbreviation  of  his  first  name,  Charles.  Armed  with  this 
information  the  salesman  called  and  asked  to  see  his  man. 

"Will  you  give  me  your  card,  please?"  the  secretary 
politely  requested. 

The  salesman  opened  his  pocket  book — to  discover  that 
he  had  forgotten  to  renew  his  supply.  "I'm  sorry  to  say  I 
happen  to  be  out  of  cards,"  he  said,  "but  if  you  will  tell  Mr. 
Blank  that  Mr.  Jones  would  like  to  speak  to  him  for  a  few 
moments,  I'm  sure  he'll  be  glad  to  see  me." 

"What  is  your  business  ?  The  president  sees  nobody  with- 
out this  information.  Are  you  soliciting  a  subscription  of 
any  kind  ?" 

"No,  I'm  not,"  answered  the  salesman  curtly,  "but  if  you 
will  take  this  note  to  him  he  will  see  me" — and  he  wrote  on  a 
piece  of  paper :  "Dear  Chic.  I  want  to  see  you  for  a  minute. 
F.  J." 

The  secretary  read  this  intimate  message,  hesitated  for  a 
moment,  and  then  took  it  to  the  president.  A  few  minutes 
later  the  salesman  was  asked  to  come  in. 

His  opening  remark  began,  "Mr.  Blank,  I  have  never  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  you  before  in  my  life  and  I  apologize 
for  taking  a  liberty  with  your  name.  But  I  knew  of  no  other 
way  to  see  you.  I  know  how  many  people  want  your  ear  and 
how  necessary  it  is  to  guard  your  time,  but  I  just  had  to  tell 
you  about  my  proposition  because  it  is  one  that  will  surely 
appeal  to  you.  It  will  take  me  exactly  eight  and  a  half  min- 
utes to  do  so.  If  you  say  No,  I  leave  right  away.  Do  I  win 
my  interview?" 


WINNING  THE  INTERVIEW 


95 


All  this  was  said,  not  with  an  air  of  apologetic  deference, 
but  with  the  manner  of  a  man  who  is  not  ashamed  of  what  he 
has  done  and  is  quite  ready  to  take  the  consequences  if  he 
has  made  a  mistake.  The  personality  of  the  book  salesman 
appealed  to  the  president  and  his  sporting  instinct  appreciated 
the  situation.  Audacity  is  always  admired.  With  the  right 
touch  of  genial  salesmanship  audacity  will  carry  a  man  through 
where  timidity  and  hesitancy  spell  abject  failure. 

§  109.     Sheer  Nerve  Sometimes  Wins  Out 

The  biggest  rewards  fall  to  the  salesman  who  successfully 
tackles  those  jobs  which  require  in  addition  to  all  other  quali- 
fications of  salesmanship,  a  certain  amount  of  audacity  and 
nerve.  As  before  mentioned  audacity  in  forcing  one's  way 
into  the  presence  of  the  buyer  is  justified  only  by  results. 
The  offer  must  be  such  as  at  once  to  convince  the  prospect 
that  it  is  worth  his  time  and  attention. 

A  new  patented  ash  barrel  only  needed  to  be  shown  to  be 
sold  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten.  Yet  the  salesman  handling  it 
was  frequently  refused  admittance  because  both  his  firm  and 
the  invention  were  still  unknown.  After  sending  in  his  card 
a  message  usually  came  back  to  the  effect  that  "Mr.  Blank  is 
sorry  he  can't  see  you  today."  So  the  salesman  changed  his 
method.  When  the  road  to  the  buyer's  office  was  in  sight  he 
would  frequently  reply,  "Thank  you,"  and  walk  right  past  the 
girl  at  the  information  desk  into  the  buyer's  sanctum.  Im- 
mediately on  entering  he  placed  a  model  of  the  barrel  on  the 
prospective  buyer's  desk  and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the  buyer 
was  too  surprised  to  say  anything  for  a  minute  or  two  al- 
though occasionally  he  might  resent  the  salesman's  entry  with 
such  words  as,  "Didn't  the  boy  tell  you  I  couldn't  see  you?" 

"Yes,  he  did,  ]\Ir.  Brown,"  the  salesman  would  cheerfully 
reply,  "but  that  was  only  because  you  didn't  know  just  what  it 
is  I  have  to  offer  you.     Now  if  I  am  taking  up  your  time 


96  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

when  you  are  really  too  busy  to  see  me,  say  so  and  I  will 
leave  at  once.  Meanwhile  just  inspect  this  model  of  our  new 
patented  ash  barrel.  It  speaks  for  itself.  Notice  how  these 
wooden  staves  make  it  impossible  to  dent  the  sides.  .  .  I'll 
call  again  tomorrow  morning  and  hear  what  you  have  to  say 
about  it." 

This  last  example  of  winning  an  interview  represents  the 
climax  of  audacity.  Audacity,  however,  is  rarely  necessary. 
For  the  average  salesman  the  best  method  is  to  adhere  to  the 
well-worn  road  of  steady  pertinacity  backed  up  by  invariable 
cheerfulness  in  spite  of  refusals.  If  judgment  is  revealed  in 
selecting  prospects  no  serious  difificulty  will  be  encountered  in 
securing  all  the  interviews  that  can  be  handled.  The  house- 
to-house  canvasser  who  is  selling  cofYee  will,  of  course,  waste 
his  time  if  he  persistently  knocks  at  the  back  door  of  the 
White  House  and  asks  for  the  President's  wife.  But  where 
a  salesman  is  handling  a  proposition  which  he  knows  is  worth 
examining,  then  the  art  of  winning  an  intei-view  simply  re- 
solves itself  into  making  a  sufficient  number  of  calls  in  likely 
quarters  and  interesting  the  prospects  who  decline  to  see 
him  by  means  of  suitable  personal  letters  or  other  advertising 
literature.  By  such  means  those  who  at  first  resolutely  re- 
fuse an  interview  are  finally  won  over  and  the  barricades  are 
lowered. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  GENERALSHIP  OF  THE  PREAPPROACH 

§  no.     The  Value  of  a  Few  Definite  Facts  About  the  Prospect 

Two  life  insurance  salesmen  representing  different  com- 
panies called  upon  the  head  of  a  large  brokerage  house. 
Smith  knew  that  the  prospect  was  a  cautious,  successful  busi- 
ness man  with  a  reputation  for  driving  a  hard  bargain  and  noth- 
ing more.  So  he  emphasized  the  advantages  of  insurance  from 
the  viewpoint  of  safety  and  business  protection  and  he  laid 
stress  upon  the  financial  strength  of  his  company.  His  appeal 
was  made  wholly  to  business  acumen.  While  the  prospect 
seemed  interested,  no  decision  was  reached. 

Jones,  his  competitor,  before  calling  on  the  broker  made 
a  few  inquiries  about  him.  In  addition  to  the  information 
secured  by  Smith,  he  ascertained  that  the  prospect  was  a 
martinet  in  business  and  also  in  his  home.  The  only  person 
before  whom  his  manner  ever  relaxed  in  its  severity  was  a 
crippled  daughter  on  whom  he  lavished  all  his  affection.  He 
seldom  mentioned  her  and  few  people  knew  of  her.  Jones 
discovered  this  fact  through  a  friend  who  was  a  member  of 
a  club  to  which  the  broker  belonged. 

When  Jones  opened  the  interview  he  outlined  the  advan- 
tages of  his  offer  as  briefly  as  possible  and  then  asked  for  a 
decision.  As  he  expected  this  was  in  the  negative.  "Mr. 
Blank,"  he  continued,  "you  are  a  successful  business  man. 
You  have  a  justly  earned  reputation  as  a  keen  investor.  You 
can  invest  your  money  to  much  better  advantage  than  the 
majority  of  business  men.  But  your  capital,  or  most  of  it,  is 
at  present  tied  up  in  industries  which  may  or  may  not  prove 

97 


98 


PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOMER 


prosperous  in  years  to  come.  The  normal  course  in  most 
businesses  is  growth  and  expansion  followed  by  a  decline  and 
in  many  cases  failure.  If  you  should  die  or  have  a  serious 
breakdown — and  these  are  possibilities  you  must  contemplate 
— your  genius  for  investing  ceases.  Your  present  investments 
may  not  prove  so  profitable  in  the  future  as  they  are  now.  If 
others  had  the  investing  of  your  money  they  might  lose  it 
and  if  they  did  your  family  would  suffer. 

"Now  think  of  the  future,  say,  of  your  daughter  under 
these  circumstances.  She  might  be  compelled  to  live  under 
conditions  which  when  compared  with  her  present  position 
would  be  comparative  poverty.  Deprived  of  the  luxuries  she 
is  accustomed  to,  it  would  be  doubly  hard  for  her.  You  are 
entitled  to  take  chances  in  your  own  business  but  you  ought 
not  to  make  those  dependent  upon  you  share  the  risks  which 
you  as  a  business  man  incur.  An  annuity  such  as  I  have  sug- 
gested would  lift  your  daughter  above  any  future  possibility 
of  want." 

The  appeal  here  was  made  first  to  pride,  the  suggestion 
being  that  few  equaled  the  broker  in  his  genius  for  investing 
money;  and  second  to  parental  affection — but  in  a  brief  and 
business-like  way  to  appeal  to  the  broker's  temperament.  The 
offer  immediately  took  on  another  aspect  in  his  eyes  and  a  sale 
eventually  followed. 

§  III.     How  the  Specialty  Salesman  Makes  a  Preapproach 

This  anecdote  illustrates  the  value  of  the  preapproach — 
which  is  to  ascertain  something  of  vital  interest  to  the  prospect 
and  then  connect  the  selling  argument  thereto.  Its  importance 
is  well  illustrated  by  the  methods  of  specialty  salesmen. 

Before  a  cash  register  salesman  tries  to  sell  a  machine 
he  carefully  inspects  his  ground.  He  enters  the  store  of  an 
unknown  prospect  at  a  busy  period  of  the  day  when  several 
customers  are  waiting  to  be  served.     He  then  makes  a  trifling 


GENERALSHIP  OF  THE  PREAPPROACH       99 

purchase  which  necessitates  the  giving  of  change  so  that  he 
can  study  the  cash  system  in  vogue.  He  notes  the  kind  of 
cash  drawer  used  and  the  method  of  handHng  the  sale.  If 
an  old-fashioned  till  is  in  use  he  recognizes  a  good  starting 
point  for  his  sales  argument.  If  possible  he  enters  into  con- 
versation with  the  clerk.  From  the  baskets  on  the  floor  he 
ascertains  how  the  merchant  delivers  the  goods  and  from  the 
bills  in  the  basket  the  method  of  handling  charge  transactions. 
From  the  fixtures  and  show  cases  he  notes  whether  or  not 
the  business  is  progressive.  From  the  kind  of  scales  used 
he  judges  whether  the  retailer  is  a  believer  in  modern  im- 
provements; from  his  store  windows  whether  he  is  smart 
enough  to  take  advantage  of  advertising  space ;  from  the  gen- 
eral appearance  of  the  store  and  the  clerks  whether  he  is  a 
believer  in  neatness  and  discipline. 

Armed  with  this  information  the  salesman  is  in  the  posi- 
tion of  a  lawyer  who  prepares  his  brief  before  the  case  is 
tried.  He  is  fully  equipped  to  point  out  the  weakness  of  the 
store's  present  system — and  his  knowledge  is  based  not  on 
surmise  but  on  the  facts  of  existing  conditions.  The  influence 
of  an  argument  based  on  fact  is  far  greater  than  one  dependent 
on  guesses  or  random  assertions. 

Thus  the  advantages  of  using  an  up-to-date  register  which 
is  adapted  to  the  special  needs  of  a  particular  store,  can  be 
pointed  out  much  more  logically  and  clearly  than  would  be 
possible  without  the  knowledge  gained  by  the  preapproach. 

§  112.     Metaphorical  Definition  of  Preapproach 

The  preapproach,  especially  if  the  sale  relates  to  a  high- 
priced  specialty,  may  be  likened  to  the  policy  of  the  general 
who  never  enters  into  battle  until  he  is  fully  prepared.  Long 
before  the  clash  takes  place  he  studies  the  ground — its  topog- 
raphy, its  defences,  its  strong  and  weak  places;  he  gathers 
all  possible   information  concerning  the  enemy — his   where- 


100  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

abouts,  his  strength,  the  disposition  of  his  forces.     With  this 
information  in  his  possession  a  plan  of  action  is  prepared. 

Like  preparation  will  furnish  the  salesman  with  valuable 
information  and  this,  if  tactfully  used,  will  give  him  the  ad- 
vantage of  choosing  his  ground  and  the  point  of  his  attack. 
A  salesman  who  ascertains  the  weak  places  in  a  customer's 
defence  knows  both  the  arguments  which  will  be  most  effec- 
tive and  whether  any  objections  to  the  purchase  are  real 
or  merely  excuses.  Meeting  the  objection,  as  wih  be  seen 
later,  is  often  half  the  battle  in  making  a  sale. 

§  113.     Illustrations  of  the  Value  of  the  Preapproach 

A  successful  sewing-machine  salesman  knew  before  he 
called  on  a  certain  housewife  that  she  was  the  mother  of  a 
family  of  five,  that  her  husband  was  earning  thirty  dollars  a 
week,  that  she  was  clever  with  her  needle,  and  that  much  of 
the  sewing  was  done  in  the  home  with  an  antiquated  and  out- 
of-date  hand-machine. 

"I  have  come  to  show  you  how  you  can  do  twice  the 
amount  of  sewing  you  now  do  without  your  arm  growing 
tired,  Mrs.  Smith,"  was  his  opening  remark. 

The  encyclopedia  salesman  tries  to  ascertain  whether  there 
are  any  children  in  the  home.  He  bases  his  appeal  on  the 
fact  that  an  encyclopedia  is  just  the  thing  for  children  of 
more  than  average  intelligence  and  will  be  of  invaluable  as- 
sistance to  them  in  acquiring  more  knowledge  than  the  aver- 
age child  and  will  help  them  in  their  education  in  future  years. 
He  thus  appeals  to  parental  pride  and  the  thirst  for  knowledge. 

§  114.     Useful  Information  for  the  Retail  Salesman 

Retail  employees  can  also  make  profitable  use  of  any  facts 
or  information  about  their  customers ;  these  may  be  picked  up 
by  means  of  gossip,  by  studying  the  local  papers,  or  by  keep- 
ing the  ears  alert  during  social  hours. 


GENERALSHIP   OF  THE  PREAPPROACH  loi 

A  retail  salesman  heard  that  a  certain  customer  who  came 
into  the  store  regularly  to  buy  a  daily  paper  and  an  occasional 
magazine  was  about  to  go  on  a  voyage  to  Europe.  When  the 
customer  next  visited  the  store  the  salesman  mentioned  how 
interested  he  was  to  hear  of  the  contemplated  trip  and  how  he 
himself  longed  for  such  an  opportunity  to  travel.  The  con- 
versation was  thus  led  to  the  unusual  sights  to  be  seen  in 
countries  where  a  different  language  is  spoken  and  different 
customs  prevail,  followed  by  casual  mention  of  the  fascination 
of  owning  a  camera  and  recording  these  novel  sights.  The 
suggestion  bore  fruit.  When  the  customer  left  on  his  voyage 
he  took  with  him  a  complete  photographic  outfit — purchased 
at  the  store  of  the  salesman  who  made  the  suggestion. 

§  115.     Try  to  Find  Out  the  Customer's  Name 

While  knowledge  about  a  prospect's  needs  and  his  likes 
and  dislikes  is  the  most  important  factor  in  the  preapproach, 
other  details  are  worth  attention.  One  of  these  is  the  custom- 
er's name.  To  know  its  correct  pronunciation  places  the 
salesman  in  an  advantageous  position.  To  address  somebody 
by  name  furnishes  a  point  of  contact,  even  though  a  slight 
one,  and  everyone  likes  to  hear  his  or  her  name  pronounced 
correctly. 

The  foregoing  point  is  worth  bearing  in  mind  by  retail 
salespeople.  Customers  in  a  store  like  to  think  that  their  pat- 
ronage is  appreciated.  When  they  are  addressed  by  name, 
it  signifies  that  the  clerk  or  the  storekeeper  is  interested  in 
them  and  this  presupposes  a  desire  to  please  and  serve.  A 
regular  customer  takes  it  as  a  matter  of  course  to  be  addressed 
by  name;  but  a  person  who  is  so  addressed  on  the  second 
visit  is  almost  sure  to  feel  flattered  by  the  small  attention  and, 
in  consequence,  a  little  more  at  home  in  the  store.  To  make 
customers  feel  at  home  paves  the  way  for  the  repeat  order. 
Therefore,  every  retail  salesperson  should  make  a  point  of 


102  PREPARING  TO   MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

memorizing  the  names  of  new  customers  so  that  they  can  be 
addressed  by  name  when  next  they  call. 

When  selling  from  house  to  house  even  the  humble  can- 
vasser makes  a  practice  of  asking  for  the  name  of  the  family 
living  next  door.  If  the  housewife  is  particularly  obliging 
he  may  request  and  note  the  names  of  several  of  her  neighbors 
so  that  if  he  is  refused  a  hearing  at  the  next  house  he  will 
still  have  in  reserve  the  names  of  other  prospects. 

§  ii6.     Ascertain  the  Quantity  of  Goods  Used 

Useful  preliminary  information  for  the  wholesale  sales- 
man is  the  amount  of  goods  usually  ordered  in  a  given  case. 
Wholesale  houses  generally  prepare  these  figures  for  their 
representatives'  use  when  possible  but  for  obvious  reasons  they 
are  not  available  when  an  unknown  prospect  is  being  called 
upon  for  the  first  time.  A  cursory  inspection  of  the  buyer's 
shelves,  if  he  is  a  retailer,  will  indicate  roughly  the  amount  of 
stock  carried  and  enable  the  salesman  to  estimate  the  quantity 
that  will  probably  be  ordered.  The  value  of  this  information 
lies  in  the  fact  that  it  enables  the  largest  reasonable  purchase 
to  be  suggested  without  incurring  the  risk  of  irritating  the 
buyer  by  suggesting  an  amount  far  beyond  his  needs  or  a 
quantity  so  small  as  to  offend  his  dignity. 

§  117.     Where  the  Neglect  of  the  Preapproach  Proved  Fatal 

The  importance  of  the  foregoing  knowledge  is  illustrated 
by  the  following  incident. 

A  young  salesman  representing  a  stove  house  was  visiting 
a  small  town  in  Montana.  The  general  store  of  the  com- 
munity was  housed  in  a  rambling  building  and  filled  with  a 
heterogeneous  stock  of  goods.  The  part  of  the  store  fre- 
quented by  customers  was  much  like  any  other  general  store 
and  did  not  indicate  an  exceptional  turnover.  Its  owner  was 
shabbily  dressed  and  unkempt. 


GENERALSHIP  OF  THE  PREAPPROACH 


103 


Appearances  are  often  deceptive  and  the  same  importance 
is  not  ascribed  to  them  in  a  small  town  as  in  a  city.  This 
storekeeper  was  a  shrewd  buyer  with  a  keen  sense  of  humor. 
A  favorite  query  of  his  was  to  ask  an  unknown  salesman  what 
quantity  of  goods  the  latter  thought  he  ought  to  buy. 

When  this  particular  poser  was  put  to  the  salesman,  the 
young  man  first  glanced  rapidly  around  the  store  to  size  up, 
as  he  thought,  the  situation.  After  a  moment's  reflection  he 
advised  a  stock  of  not  more  than  twenty  stoves — a  dozen  low- 
priced  numbers  and  two  assortments  of  the  higher-priced  ones. 

"Well,  my  trade  last  year  in  stoves  alone  was  over 
$10,000,"  replied  the  storekeeper  to  the  startled  salesman,  "but 
as  I  want  a  little  concrete  advice  as  to  what  stock  to  order 
this  year  and  as  I  can't  build  up  my  business  by  guessing  or 
trading  with  guessers,  I  think  I'll  wait  until  another  stove 
salesman  comes  around."     With  this  the  interview  closed. 

After  the  crestfallen  salesman  had  withdrawn,  a  few  in- 
quiries at  the  local  hotel  and  among  townspeople  elicited  the 
information  that  this  storekeeper  employed  a  dozen  teams  to 
distribute  his  goods ;  that  he  handled  a  substantial  mail  order 
business  as  well ;  and  that  his  yearly  sales  were  well  over  the 
quarter  million  dollar  mark.  A  cursory  preapproach  would 
have  told  the  salesman  that  the  buyer  was  one  of  the  most 
important  in  the  state. 

§  118.     The  Preapproach  Essential  Before  Estimating 

In  trades  and  businesses  which  render  a  service  for  which 
estimates  are  frequently  submitted,  the  preapproach  is  a  use- 
ful means  of  finding  the  suitable  opening  wedge.  A  salesman 
of  printing,  for  instance,  need  never  be  at  a  loss  for  likely 
customers  however  dull  trade  may  be.  Advertisers  especially 
are  large  users  of  printed  matter  and  their  material  is  dis- 
tributed free  to  all  who  ask  for  it.  The  salesman  who  keeps 
his  eyes  open  for  publishers  or  users  of  the  kind  of  printing 


104  PREPARING   TO    MEET   THE   CUSTOMER 

for  which  his  house  is  equipped  can  often  gain  an  interview 
and  an  order  by  first  submitting  samples  and  prices.  This 
necessitates  a  careful  preapproach  and  study  of  the  concerns 
which  seem  most  likely  prospects. 

In  making  quotations,  as  in  all  other  statements  of  fact,  it 
is  important  to  be  clear  and  definite.  Aimless  quoting  of 
prices  for  a  lot  of  things  a  buyer  cannot  use  only  bores  him ; 
complicated  figures  which  need  close  study  irritate  him.  But 
clear  and  concise  quotations  for  the  kind  and  amount  of  goods 
he  usually  buys  are  interesting  items  of  information  to  which 
he  will  be  sure  to  give  careful  consideration. 

§  119.     Summary  to  Part  I 

In  every  selling  force  certain  salesmen  stand  head  and 
shoulders  above  the  rest  of  the  staff.  Though  personality  may 
contribute  to  their  success,  often  the  most  important  factor  in 
this  success  is  a  profound  knowledge  of  the  line  and  skill  in 
the  presentation  of  its  advantages.  This  skill  is  acquired  by 
preparation  and  by  the  close  study  of  different  ways  of  pre- 
senting the  offer.  The  trouble  wath  many  mediocre  salesmen 
is  that  they  attribute  their  lack  of  success  to  the  difficulty  of 
selling  their  line  or  specialty  rather  than  to  their  own  inade- 
quate preparation.  The  man  who  is  prepared  at  every  point 
overcomes  obstacles  that  otherwise  would  prove  insuperable. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  book  the  ground  w^ork  of  the  sales 
preparation  is  considered.  The  salesman  must  first  analyze 
his  offer  in  the  w^ay  described;  he  must  then  build  up  his 
sales  talk  as  here  outlined;  and  this  he  should  memorize  in 
every  detail.  Prepared  in  this  way  he  will  find  himself 
equipped  w^ith  a  wealth  of  argument  w^hich  will  enable  him 
to  do  justice  to  his  offer  in  every  situation.  In  the  next  part 
of  the  book  will  be  considered  means  and  methods  of  turning 
this  preparatory  work  to  best  account  when  face  to  face  wath 
the  customer. 


PART    II 
IN  CONTACT  WITH  THE  CUSTOMER 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  DELIVERY  OF  THE  SALES  TALK  AS  A  WHOLE 

§  120.     The  Complete  Sales  Talk  Must  be  Flexible 

Presuming  that  the  preparatory  work  outlined  in  preced- 
ing chapters  is  completed,  the  student  will  now  have  at  his 
command  a  number  of  pithy  arguments  designed  to  appeal  to 
different  buying  motives  and  to  various  types  of  buyers. 
From  a  selection  of  these  elaborated  talking  points  he  will 
be  able  to  build  up  a  composite  and  convincing  sales  talk  which 
will  describe  the  merits  of  his  offer  in  an  effective  way. 

A  flexible  sales  talk  constructed  from  a  number  of  care- 
fully worded  arguments,  which  are  designed  to  answer  every 
query  or  to  meet  all  likely  objections,  is  better  than  a  set 
talk  that  is  carefully  memorized.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  business  argument  and  explanations  should  be  as  brief 
as  circumstances  permit.  Busy  men  have  rarely  the  time  or 
the  patience  to  listen  to  a  long,  oration-like  sales  talk.  An 
opportunity  rarely  presents  itself  for  the  delivery  of  an  address 
on  the  merits  of  the  goods  and  if  it  does,  this  at  best  is  apt 
to  be  a  stilted  and  dismal  performance. 

Brevity,  on  the  other  hand,  is  always  emphatic  and  it  pro- 
vokes the  listener  to  respond.  The  object  of  a  sales  argument 
is  not  to  talk  at  a  customer  in  the  hope  that  if  he  only  listens 
long  enough  he  will  ultimately  believe  in  the  truth  of  what  he 
hears.  To  secure  mental  assent  to  the  salesman's  claims  and 
statements  it  is  important  that  the  customer  himself  be  drawn 
into  the  discussion.  The  sales  talk  should  take  the  form  rather 
of  a  debate  than  of  an  oration. 

107 


I08  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

§  121.     Disadvantages  of  Cast-iron  Sales  Canvass 

It  is  true  that  firms  which  employ  salesmen  for  the  purpose 
of  house  to  house  canvassing  usually  prepare  a  complete  sales 
talk  or  "canvass"  as  it  is  termed.  While  the  salesman  is 
studying  the  mysteries  of  the  goods,  he  is  expected  to  mem- 
orize this  canvass  word  for  word.  The  idea  in  committing 
to  memory  a  complete  sales  talk  is  not  that  it  will  ever  be 
delivered  by  rote,  but  that  it  will  completely  equip  the  sales- 
man with  a  series  of  arguments  that  experience  has  proved 
to  be  best — to  be  used  as  occasion  requires.  Such  a  canvass 
always  embodies  the  combined  experience  of  the  men  most 
successful  in  handling  the  line  and  in  reality  is  a  list  of  elabor- 
ated talking  points  arranged  in  logical  order  and  developed 
from  the  viewpoint  of  interest  to  the  customer.  The  weakness 
of  the  single,  set  sales  canvass  is  that  it  is  too  rigid  and  not 
sufficiently  adaptable  to  varying  situations. 

The  salesman  who,  as  suggested  in  this  book,  has  at  his 
command  a  number  of  statements  to  be  used  for  the  purpose 
of  attracting  attention  at  the  opening  of  his  interview,  others 
which  arouse  interest  by  explaining  clearly  just  what  the  prod- 
uct or  offer  will  do  for  the  customer,  and  others  again  which 
describe  in  detail  the  technicalities  of  the  offer,  has  really  con- 
structed several  complete  sales  canvasses  which  he  can  vary 
to  meet  varying  situations.  The  advantage  of  this  method 
is  that  when  the  complete  sales  talk  is  constructed  as  occasion 
demands  from  a  series  of  short  talks,  it  becomes  a  more  pli- 
able argument  than  one  that  is  learned  by  rote.  The  sales- 
man who  has  memorized  a  set  recitation  is  likely  to  be  thrown 
out  of  his  stride  when  he  is  interrupted  in  the  middle  of  his 
speech.  He  then  finds  it  difficult  to  return  to  his  argument 
at  the  point  where  he  broke  off  and  the  impression  made  on 
the  customer  by  the  talk  as  a  whole  is  confused  and  ineffective. 
A  sales  talk  gains  in  strength  when  each  point  makes  a  clear- 
cut  impression. 


THE  DELIVERY  OF  THE  SALES  TALK 


109 


§  122.     The  Language  and  Style  of  the  Sales  Talk 

The  quality  of  a  man's  education  and  the  limitations  of 
his  vocabulary  will  be  revealed  in  the  construction  of  his 
sales  argument.  If  he  is  to  approach  an  educated  type  of 
buyer  he  must  at  least  show  intelligence  and  education  com- 
mensurate with  the  dignity  of  the  proposition.  A  man  of 
education  will  experience  little  difificulty  in  changing  the  word- 
ing and  the  phraseology  of  a  sales  talk  when  necessary,  so 
that  it  will  appeal  to  persons  of  different  degrees  of  education 
and  on  different  intellectual  levels.  For  example,  when  offer- 
ing stock  remedies  to  farmers  it  would  be  obviously  inap- 
propriate to  use  the  same  style  of  language  as  when  selling 
shares  in  a  steamship  company  to  a  body  of  financiers  or 
medical  books  to  a  doctor.  The  sales  talk  must  be  appropriate 
to  the  ears  which  are  to  listen  to  it. 

The  salesman  must  also  have  a  definite  idea  of  the  proper 
sequence  of  what  he  is  going  to  say.  The  argument  must  be 
constructed  not  only  to  suit  the  line  of  goods  which  it  describes 
and  the  presumed  intellectual  level  of  the  different  types  of 
customers  who  are  to  be  influenced  by  it;  it  must  also  lead 
naturally  from  one  point  to  another  covering  each  point  com- 
pletely as  the  argument  develops.  If  a  clear  impression  is  to 
be  left  on  the  listener's  mind  there  must  be  no  confusion  and 
no  retracing  of  steps. 

§  123.     How  to  Make  the  Sales  Talk  Convincing 

Given  the  adequate  preparation  revealed  in  a  clear  and 
logical  presentation  of  the  argument,  there  are  several  points 
to  be  borne  in  mind  if  the  sales  talk  is  gradually  to  lead 
the  buyer  from  interest  to  desire. 

The  talk  as  a  whole  must  be  delivered  with  earnestness 
and  enthusiasm.  Unless  the  salesman  believes  in  every  word 
he  says  he  cannot  transmit  his  belief  to  others.  As  the  sub- 
ject of  enthusiasm  is  so  important  as  to  form  almost  a  separate 


no  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

phase  of  the  study  of  salesmanship,  it  is  discussed  more  fullj 
in  Chapter  XXVII. 

§  124.     Meeting  the  Objections  of  the  Buyer 

The  salesman  must  be  prepared  to  answer  objections — 
not  only  those  raised  in  criticism  of  his  offer,  but  those  which 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  These  may  be  more  or  less  per- 
sonal and  pertinent  to  the  buyer.  The  most  common  of  these 
objections,  which  in  many  cases  are  mere  excuses,  are  con- 
sidered in  Chapters  XVI  and  XVII.  In  every  interview  one 
or  more  of  these  irrelevant  objections  or  excuses  will  almost 
certainly  be  raised.  Many  an  interview  which  seems  to  be 
progressing  favorably  may  end  in  failure  unless  the  sales- 
man has  mental  alertness  and  argumentative  skill.  Probable 
objections  to  the  goods  can  frequently  be  best  disposed  of  by 
meeting  them  before  they  are  brought  up. 

Experience  will  quickly  reveal  the  chief  criticisms  that  are 
likely  to  arise  in  the  mind  of  the  average  buyer.  The  sales- 
man must  prepare  effective  answers.  A  cautious  and  deliber- 
ate type  of  customer  may  magnify  every  conceivable  disad- 
vantage and  tone  down  or  discount  all  favorable  arguments  by 
one-half.  An  effective  procedure  in  such  a  case  is  to  mention 
some  of  the  objections  that  may  possibly  be  raised  against 
buying,  together  with  an  appropriate  answer  so  worded  as  to 
reveal  their  futility  or  the  fact  that  they  really  "cut  no  ice." 

§  125.     Securing  the  Customer's  Assent  to  Claims 

Every  sales  talk  includes  a  certain  number  of  claims  as  to 
the  merits  or  advantages  of  an  offer.  If  the  customer  is  to  be 
impressed  with  its  value  he  must  be  brought  to  assent  to  these 
claims  and  assertions.  This  is  particularly  true  when  an  as- 
sertion is  made  which  is  in  any  way  open  to  question;  or 
which  through  lack  of  proof  tends  to  produce  skepticism.  Un- 
less this  mental  assent,  either  tacit  or  verbal,  is  secured  for 


THE  DELIVERY  OF  THE  SALES  TALK      m 

every  claim  or  assertion  made,  when  the  time  comes  to  close 
the  sale  the  customer  may  turn  round  and  state  that  for  cer- 
tain reasons  the  offer  is  not  advantageous.  The  difficulty  of 
closing  the  sale  will  be  greatly  increased  unless  the  salesman 
not  only  removes  all  doubts  and  fears  from  the  buyer's  mind, 
but  replaces  these  with  positive  belief  in  the  truth  of  claims 
and  statements  which  have  been  made. 

In  arriving  at  this  mental  assent  the  attitude  of  trying  to 
drive  the  customer  into  a  corner  by  the  sweeping  force  of  the 
argument  should  be  carefully  avoided.  Rather  should  the 
salesman's  manner  reveal  a  sincere  desire  to  reach  a  reasonable 
basis  of  agreement.  Thus  a  statement  or  claim  which  is  obvi- 
ous and  appeals  to  common  sense  can  be  put  in  the  form  of  a 
query,  so  as  to  elicit  from  the  customer  the  reply,  "It  is  so." 
If  the  query  results  in  a  negative  answer  and  there  is  no 
further  proof  to  offer  in  support  of  the  claim,  then  it  must  be 
modified  until  the  customer  is  willing  to  admit  it  as  a  truth. 
But  admit  its  truth  in  one  form  or  another  the  customer  must. 

§  126.     How  to  Build  up  a  Strong  Claim  Step  by  Step 

A  strong  claim  or  even  a  sweeping  assertion,  which  at 
first  view  the  custotner  would  be  inclined  to  deny  hotly,  can 
often  be  made  with  safety,  if  it  is  deliberately  built  up  step 
by  step.  A  cash  register  salesman,  for  example,  might  assert 
to  a  retailer  employing  a  dozen  or  more  salespeople  that  in 
the  course  of  a  year  he  loses  at  least  $1,000  because  he  is 
not  equipped  with  an  up-to-date  cash  register  system.  In 
every  case  such  a  statement  would  be  flatly  contradicted.  So 
he  secures  assent  to  the  assertion  in  this  way: 

"A  general  proposition,  Mr.  Jones,  is  that  no  matter  how 
careful  the  storekeeper  and  his  clerks  may  be,  they  are  only 
human  and  are  likely  to  make  mistakes.  Any  system  that 
is  dependent  upon  human  memory  is  open  to  mistakes.  This 
you  agree  with,  do  you  not?" 


112  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

No  one  can  contradict  this  general  statement  and  the  store- 
keeper readily  admits  its  truth. 

"Now,  Mr.  Jones,"  the  salesman  continues,  "considering 
that  to  err  is  human,  isn't  it  possible  that  such  errors  occur  in 
your  store  to  the  amount  of  a  fezv  cents  a  day?" 

Mr.  Jones  is  compelled  to  admit  that  such  errors  do  some- 
times occur  and  he  has  known  them  to  occur  in  his  store. 

"Then,  Mr.  Jones,  you  discover  these  losses  sometimes. 
Couldn't  they  sometimes  happen  without  your  discovering 
themf" 

Mr.  Jones  is  again  compelled  to  admit  that  this  may  be 
the  case. 

"Now,  Mr.  Jones,  if  this  could  occur  sometimes  without 
your  knowing  it,  then  why  couldn't  it  happen  many  times  and 
you  never  suspect  it?  How  do  you  know  that  it  doesn't 
happen  every  day?  In  short  how  do  you  know  that  you  are 
not  losing  a  large  sum  a  year  because  you  are  not  equipped 
with  an  up-to-date  cash  register  system?" 

This  is  a  perfectly  logical  climax.  Hardly  any  deader  can 
dodge  this  last  question  or  fail  to  be  impressed  by  the  state- 
ment, because  he  has  been  compelled  to  admit  the  truth  of  all 
the  former  premises.  As  before  mentioned,  when  the  time 
arrives  to  close  the  sale,  success  w\\\  depend  largely  upon 
whether  the  customer  has  mentally  admitted  to  himself  that 
the  offer  includes  all  the  advantages  claimed  for  it.  Unless 
the  customer  can  be  made  to  see  these  advantages  as  the  sales- 
man sees  them  and  to  acknowledge  that  he  believes  in  them, 
he  may  apparently  be  listening  to  the  argument  and  at  the 
same  time  be  actually  churning  over  in  his  mind  reasons  why 
he  should  not  buy ;  these  sooner  or  later  v/ill  find  expression. 
By  pinning  the  prospect's  mind  down  to  an  acknowledgment 
of  the  claims  made,  one  by  one,  the  salesman  gradually  carries 
him  along  the  mental  journey  that  leads  away  from  objections 
to  the  buying  point. 


THE  DELIVERY  OF  THE  SALES  TALK 


113 


§  127.     The  Time  for  Silence 

There  is  a  time  to  be  silent  as  well  as  to  talk — even  in 
salesmanship.  The  salesman  who  thinks  that  he  must  do  most 
of  the  talking  and  that  he  is  winning  over  his  customer  only 
when  he  hears  the  sound  of  his  own  voice,  greatly  injures  his 
chance  of  making  a  sale.  He  should  guard  against  presum- 
ing to  give  advice  to  a  customer  who  neither  asks  for  it  nor 
wants  it,  and  above  all,  advice  of  a  technical  nature  to  the  man 
who  undoubtedly  knows  his  own  business  much  better  than 
the  salesman. 

The  representative  of  a  lithographing  house  called  on  the 
advertising  manager  of  a  large  company  to  show  several 
samples  and  designs  suitable  for  advertising  show-cards.  He 
opened  the  interview  in  this  way: 

"We  do  work  for  the  Star  Packing  Company,  The  Able 
Biscuit  Company,  and  other  large  advertisers.  I  have  got  a 
sketch  here  which  you  will  have  to  admit  is  going  to  sell 
some  varnish  for  you.  One  of  our  artists  drew  it  up  and  the 
minute  I  saw  it  I  knew  it  was  just  the  thing  for  your  line. 
It  is  only  a  small  sketch,  of  course,  but  we  can  elaborate  on  it 
if  it  appeals  to  you." 

All  this  and  much  more  the  salesman  reeled  ofif  while  he 
untied  his  parcel  and  placed  the  sketch,  to  which  he  had  re- 
ferred so  triumphantly,  in  the  center  of  the  buyer's  desk. 

"You  see,"  he  began  again,  "we  can  put  some  copy  right 
across  the  sky  if  you  want  us  to.  Some  little  slogan  like  'The 
Varnish  of  Value'  will  be  enough  and  down  in  this  corner  you 
ought  to  put  the  price  and  .  .  .  ." 

He  got  no  further.  The  irate  buyer  swung  round  in  his 
chair  and  fiercely  faced  the  salesman. 

"See  here,"  he  snapped  out  in  a  grim  voice,  "are  you  or 
am  I  the  advertising  manager  for  this  concern?  Do  you  or 
do  I  know  what  we  need  and  what  copy  to  use?  If  you  will 
shut  up  for  a  minute  and  give  me  time  and  opportunity  to 


114 


IN   CONTACT  WITH  THE  CUSTOMER 


collect  my  thoughts  I  will  try  to  see  if  we  can  make  any  use 
of  this  idea.  You  have  been  doing  a  vaudeville  monologue 
ever  since  you  came  in  here  and  you  haven't  said  a  word  yet. 
Now  keep  still  and  give  me  a  chance  to  think." 

This  anecdote  illustrates  better  than  any  number  of  pre- 
cepts that  during  the  sales  interview  there  is  a  time  to  be 
silent  as  well  as  a  time  to  talk. 

§  128.     Put  Yourself  in  the  Buyer's  Place 

The  fact  that  to  offer  advice  of  a  technical  nature  if  unasked 
for  will  generally  be  regarded  as  presumptuous,  need  not  deter 
the  salesman  from  giving  such  advice  as  he  knows  will  be 
appreciated  because  of  his  wider  source  of  information.  The 
secret  of  many  a  man's  success  is  the  fact  that  he  tries  to 
place  himself  in  the  position  of  his  customers — not  only  as 
purchasers  but  also  as  sellers  of  his  merchandise.  When  the 
salesman  considers  his  ofifer  from  this  point  of  view,  and  in  his 
appeal  to  customers  makes  them  understand  that  he  is  con- 
sidering how  they  are  to  sell  the  goods  just  as  much  as  he  is 
thinking  of  his  own  order,  he  wins  their  confidence  and  trust. 

When  the  style  appeal  is  an  important  factor  in  the  sale 
the  purchaser  often  depends  upon  the  judgment  of  the  sales- 
man whether  he  is  on  the  road  or  behind  the  counter.  The 
salesman  should  therefore  study  the  class  of  trade  to  which 
the  buyer  caters  or  the  shopper's  needs  and  inclinations ;  then 
if  advice  can  be  given  on  the  basis  of  his  own  experience,  or 
if  his  judgment  is  relied  upon,  he  should  not  scruple  to  state 
his  own  opinions. 

§  129.     Hold  the  Primary  Object  in  View 

However  fluent,  interesting,  and  instructive  the  argument 
may  be,  the  fact  must  be  kept  in  view  that  its  main  object 
is  not  to  entertain  and  instruct,  but  to  close  the  sale.  One 
of  the  disadvantages  of  learning  a  complete  canvass  by  rote 


THE   DELIVERY    OF   THE    SALES    TALK  115 

is  that  it  may  be  thought  the  time  has  not  arrived  to  close 
until  the  argument  has  been  delivered  as  a  whole.  When  the 
speech  is  completed  and  the  buyer  fails  to  respond  by  signify- 
ing his  willingness  to  order,  the  interview  becomes  flat  and 
depressing.  It  is  then  likely  to  degenerate  into  an  effort  to 
persuade  the  buyer  to  purchase  against  his  will. 

The  salesman  who  keeps  in  mind  the  primary  object  of 
his  interview  watches  the  buyer  closely.  He  uses  only  those 
portions  of  his  argument  which  naturally  develop  from  the 
attitude  and  questions  of  the  listener.  At  the  same  time 
he  loses  no  chance  of  closing  the  sale,  because  he  strives  to 
ascertain  from  time  to  time  how  the  mental  changes,  which 
will  gradually  lead  to  the  acceptance  of  his  ofifer,  are  progress- 
ing. 

The  adaptation  of  the  sales  talk  to  buyers  of  varying  tem- 
perament is  discussed  in  Chapter  XIV  and  various  methods 
of  bringing  the  sale  to  a  close  are  considered  in  Chapters 
XVIII  and  XIX. 

In  conclusion,  sound  judgment  and  a  knowledge  of  human 
nature  are  needed  to  select  the  particular  selling  argu- 
ments that  will  most  appeal  to  different  needs  and  varying 
types  of  mind,  to  know  when  enough  has  been  said  about  the 
merits  of  the  proposition,  and  to  realize  when  the  time  has 
arrived  to  close. 


CHAPTER    XII 

THINGS    TO    REMEMBER    IN    OPENING   THE 
INTERVIEW 

§  130.     Make  a  Good  First  Impression  on  the  Buyer 

First  impressions  may  sometimes  be  misleading,  but  they 
are  at  times  exceedingly  important.  Upon  the  impression 
made  during  the  first  minute  or  two  of  the  salesman's  inter- 
view will  frequently  depend  the  opportunity  to  explain  his 
mission  and  thus  secure  a  sale.  For  this  reason  in  the  train- 
ing of  the  salesman  emphasis  is  rightly  laid  on  his  personal 
appearance,  his  clothes,  his  manner,  and  his  personality  as  a 
whole.  When  he  creates  an  unfavorable  impression  because 
of  defects  in  any  of  these  points,  he  may  fail  to  secure  that  at- 
tention which  is  the  first  step  in  presenting  a  successful  sales 
argument ;  he  then  breaks  down  in  his  efifort  before  he  even  se- 
cures an  opening.  When  he  makes  a  favorable  impression 
and  answers  all  questions  in  a  convincing  way  the  buyer  at 
once  becomes  interested  and  is  willing  to  have  the  proposition 
explained. 

If  the  first  interview  is  a  failure  a  second  opening  will  be 
difficult  to  secure.  A  sale  is  rarely  made  in  the  first  inter- 
view when  the  transaction  is  of  any  importance  or  when  the 
first  sale  is  expected  to  be  followed  by  repeat  orders  from 
time  to  time.  But  when  a  favorable  impression  is  made 
during  the  first  call  and  the  interest  of  the  buyer  is  aroused 
to  the  point  of  displaying  some  sign  of  geniality,  then  the 
salesman  has  every  reason  to  hope  that  persistence  in  calling 
will  ultimately  lead  to  a  trial  of  his  line  or  his  specialty. 

116 


OPENING   THE   INTERVIEW  II7 

§  131.     Appearance  in  Selling  a  Specialty 

Probably  the  sales  which  call  for  the  greatest  degree  of 
diplomacy  are  those  offering  a  service,  such  as  insurance  or 
advertising,  in  which  the  prospect  must  first  be  made  to  real- 
ize his  need,  and  the  sale  of  a  comparatively  high-priced 
specialty  to  a  small  storekeeper,  because  in  this  case  the  in- 
vestment is  a  big  and  unusual  expenditure.  When  negotiat- 
ing one  of  these  sales  the  importance  of  making  a  favorable 
impression  both  in  appearance  and  in  the  opening  statement 
is  paramount — as  exemplified  in  the  following  extract  taken 
from  the  sales  manual  of  a  house  selling  a  well-known 
specialty.  With  this  firm  the  art  of  approaching  a  customer 
is  considered  the  most  important  detail  in  a  sale,  to  which 
the  art  of  closing  comes  a  close  second. 

"The  first  point  in  approaching  the  prospect  is  to  look 
like  a  gentleman,  act  like  a  man,  and  make  him  listen  to  you. 
The  next  thing  is — not  to  half  persuade  him  that  he  ought 
to  buy,  but  wholly  to  convince  him  that  he  ought  to  look  into 
the  subject.  Free  his  mind  at  the  start  from  the  impression 
that  you  are  trying  to  force  him  into  buying  something  he 
doesn't  want.  Disclaim  any  such  intention.  But  insist  that 
it  is  a  matter  of  such  importance  that  he  positively  ought  to 
investigate  and  judge  for  himself  whether  or  not  our  service 
will  be  of  help  to  him  in  his  daily  work." 

§  132.     Insist  Upon  the  Customer's  Undivided  Attention 

After  being  admitted  to  the  customer's  presence  the  sales- 
man should  decline  to  describe  his  offer  until  the  listener  is 
able  to  give  him  his  whole  attention.  A  common  practice 
among  business  men  when  they  are  found  working  at  their 
desks  is  to  say  to  the  unknown  salesman,  "Go  ahead,  I  can 
listen  to  you  while  I  work,  I'm  busy."  To  such  a  statement 
the  salesman  should  promptly  reply,  "Thank  you,  I  am  per- 
fectly willing  to  wait  until  you  are  at  leisure,"  and  the  action 


Il8  1^    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

can  be  suited  to  the  word  by  the  salesman  taking  a  seat.  The 
salesman  breaks  into  the  presence  of  the  business  man  and 
occupies  his  time  because  he  is  convinced  that  his  offer  is 
worth  serious  consideration  and  the  time  needed  to  explain 
its  merits.  Therefore,  if  he  is  willing  to  accept  only  a  half- 
hearted form  of  attention  he  involuntarily  depreciates  the 
worth  of  what  he  has  to  say.  Instead  of  doing  business  on 
an  equal  footing  he  adopts  the  attitude  of  asking  for  a  favor. 

A  salesman  entered  a  retail  store  and  found  the  merchant 
engaged  in  opening  cases.  The  salesman  was  invited  to  "go 
ahead  and  tell  his  story,"  the  merchant  at  the  same  time  con- 
tinuing his  hammering. 

"My  proposition,"  replied  the  salesman,  "is  important 
enough  to  deserve  your  whole  attention  for  a  few  minutes. 
If  you  can't  give  me  your  whole  attention  just  now,  Mr. 
Blank,  I  will  call  again  this  afternoon  at  whatever  time  you 
say." 

The  salesman's  polite  insistence  made  the  merchant  real- 
ize that  his  business  must  be  worth  serious  consideration.  So 
he  ceased  the  work  of  unpacking,  which  as  the  salesman 
shrewdly  surmised  was  of  no  immediate  importance,  in  order 
to  hear  what  the  representative  had  to  say.  A  manner  which 
is  courteously  firm,  as  in  the  case  just  mentioned,  will  usually 
succeed  in  securing  the  customer's  undivided  attention. 

A  salesman  new  to  the  game  usually  fails  to  appreciate 
the  importance  of  firmly  waiving  aside  any  attempt  to  give 
only  partial  attention  to  what,  after  all,  is  an  important  and 
legitimate  kind  of  business  interview.  If  an  influential  cus- 
tomer called  on  a  firm  and  asked  to  see  its  head  he  would 
be  given  prompt  and  undivided  attention.  The  go-ahead-and- 
tell-me-your-story  attitude  would  be  suicidal.  Yet  the  im- 
portance of  transactions  between  buyer  and  salesman  are  as 
a  rule  of  much  greater  moment  to  a  firm  than  any  transac- 
tions with  an  individual  customer.     Obviously,  therefore,  the 


OPENING   THE   INTERVIEW  II9 

only  dignified  course  for  the  salesman  is  to  insist  upon  re- 
ceiving the  prospect's  attention. 

§  133.     How  to  Patch  Up  a  Broken  Interview 

When  a  prospective  customer  is  found  to  be  engaged  with 
somebody  else  or  when  somebody  interrupts  the  interview, 
the  salesman  should  wait  until  the  buyer  is  at  liberty  to  give 
him  his  undivided  attention.  Interviews  are  frequently  dis- 
turbed in  this  way.  When  a  break  occurs  it  is  important 
briefly  to  recapitulate  the  selling  points  already  made  in  order 
that  the  argument  may  lose  none  of  its  effect.  If  the  sales- 
man continues  his  talk  without  this  recapitulation  he  may 
leave  out  one  or  two  links  which  help  to  build  up  the  mental 
processes  which  lead  to  desire.  The  very  fact  of  being  dis- 
turbed makes  the  customer  forget  for  the  time  being  what  tlie 
salesman  has  been  saying,  and  a  repetition  in  brief  outline 
of  the  argument  so  far  developed  is  always  a  wise  precaution. 

Salesmen  calling  on  the  retail  trade  will  frequently  receive 
a  curt  reply  that  the  merchant  is  too  busy  to  talk,  especially 
when  the  visits  are  made  at  frequent  intervals.  In  such  a 
case  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  to  reply  cheerfully,  "All  right, 
[  will  call  again  when  I  am  around  this  way  next  week. 
Hope  to  find  you  at  liberty  then."  A  cheerful  response  of 
this  kind  usually  makes  the  merchant  feel  a  trifle  ashamed 
of  his  discourtesy  or  abruptness  and  the  next  time  the  sales- 
man calls  he  is  given  a  more  genial  reception. 

§  134.     Handling  the  Customer  with  a  Grouch 

Notwithstanding  careful  practice  in  the  art  of  approach- 
ing a  customer,  a  salesman  may  still  be  so  unfortunate  as  to 
impress  the  buyer  unfavorably  without  being  in  any  way  to 
blame.  The  prospect  may  be  in  a  bad  humor,  his  digestion 
may  not  be  working  satisfactorily,  or  other  conditions  wholly 
beyond  the  control  of  the  salesman  may  be  responsible  for 


I20  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

an  ungracious  reception.  Whatever  the  cause,  when  the 
buyer  reveals  a  serious  grouch  the  salesman  should  not  allow 
an  ill-tempered  reception  to  modify  his  own  attitude.  Ill- 
humor  can  often  be  dissipated  when  it  is  cheerfully  ignored. 
The  salesman  should  continue  his  demonstration  as  if  com- 
pletely unaware  that  the  buyer  is  not  in  the  right  frame  of 
mind  to  give  him  close  attention. 

Whether  or  not  the  grouchy  buyer  can  be  placated  will 
depend  upon  the  skill  shown  in  winning  his  interest  to  such 
a  degree  that  he  forgets  his  ill-humor.  A  prospect  who  is 
obviously  in  a  state  of  mental  irritation  cannot  be  led  to  the 
stage  of  interest.  Mental  irritability  makes  the  buyer  wholly 
incompetent  to  concentrate  his  mind  on  the  offer  which  is 
about  to  be  placed  before  him.  If  he  starts  with  a  prejudice 
against  this  offer  and  then  refuses  to  give  it  the  consideration 
it  deserves,  his  irritability  quickly  degenerates  into  annoy- 
ance. If  this  unfortunate  stage  is  reached  it  may  be  advisable 
for  the  salesman  to  quit. 

§  135,     Never  Apologize  for  Taking  Up  a  Prospect's  Time 

A  salesman  should  never  apologize  either  by  word  or  man- 
ner for  taking  up  a  prospect's  time.  As  before  stated  his 
visit  is  as  much  for  the  buyer's  benefit  as  his  own,  and  his 
attitude  should  reveal  this  fact.  The  salesman  who  enters  a 
customer's  presence  with  an  apology  for  breaking  in  or  who 
in  any  way  implies  by  his  manner  that  he  is  mentally  apolo- 
getic, will  fail  to  secure  that  undivided  attention  which  must 
precede  the  awakening  of  interest  and  desire.  The  salesman 
should  assume  that  when  the  prospect  is  ready  to  be  inter- 
viewed he  is  also  readv  to  give  all  the  time  necessary. 

When,  however,  the  buyer  takes  the  lead  himself  and  ex- 
plains that  for  certain  reasons  he  is  rushed  or  he  has  little 
time  to  spare  because  he  has  to  leave  town,  it  is  then  polite 
for  the  salesman  to  apologize  with  such  a  remark  as,  "I  am 


OPEMNG   THE   INTERVIEW  12 1 

sorry  to  arrive  at  such  an  inopportune  moment,  but  since  you 
are  so  busy  I  will  make  my  story  as  brief  as  possible."  Even 
here,  however,  the  apology  is  not  for  taking  up  a  customer's 
time,  but  for  calling  upon  him  at  an  inopportune  moment. 

§  136.     The  Use  of  a  Business  Card 

If  the  salesman  represents  a  well-known  house  with  a 
reputation  behind  it,  which  is  in  itself  an  asset  in  gaining  an 
opening,  it  would  be  obviously  advisable  to  send  in  his  card 
to  a  prospect  on  whom  he  calls  for  the  first  time.  Where, 
however,  the  name  of  the  firm  conveys  little  to  the  prospective 
customer  and  the  salesman  must  depend  wholly  upon  the 
merits  of  his  offer  and  his  own  personality  in  making  a  sale, 
it  is  preferable  to  dispense  with  the  card  so  that  the  attention 
of  the  buyer  is  wholly  concentrated  on  the  salesman.  It  is 
much  easier  to  say  "No,"  "Too  busy,"  or  to  make  a  similar 
excuse  while  inspecting  a  piece  of  pasteboard  than  when  di- 
rectly confronting  the  salesman. 

Many  salesmen  make  a  practice  of  placing  a  card  on  the 
desk  in  front  of  a  prospect  or  of  handing  it  to  him  at  the  time 
they  make  known  the  nature  of  their  business.  The  advan- 
tage of  this  method  is  that  it  creates  a  double  impression  on 
the  mind  of  the  buyer;  a  disadvantage  is  that  more  attention 
may  be  given  to  the  card  than  to  the  salesman.  Whether 
or  not  a  card  should  be  used  will  depend  largely  upon  the 
personality  of  the  salesman  and  the  nature  of  his  business. 
It  is  a  question  every  salesman  must  decide  for  himself. 

§  137.     When  to  Shake  Hands 

The  "glad  hand"  is  considered  an  invariable  part  of  a 
salesman's  greeting.  If  friendly  relations  have  already  been 
established,  the  hand,  of  course,  will  be  offered  and  cordially 
shaken.  When  approaching  a  stranger  or  a  prospect  who 
has  not  yet  favored  the  salesman  with  an  order,  although  a 


^22  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

perfunctory  acquaintanceship  may  have  been  established,  it 
is  not  wise  to  offer  to  shake  hands.  Prospective  customers 
do  not  as  a  rule  gladly  welcome  the  presence  of  a  man  who 
politely  insists  upon  their  listening  to  an  explanation  of  his 
offer.  Sometimes  they  even  view  his  effort  to  gain  their 
presence  as  an  intrusion,  although  they  may  admire  his 
persistence. 

When,  therefore,  an  interview  is  granted,  if  the  salesman 
effusively  offers  his  hand,  this  in  a  sense  commits  a  cus- 
tomer to  at  least  placing  the  salesman  on  a  friendly,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  a  purely  business,  footing.  A  proffered 
hand-shake  may  never  be  refused,  but  in  the  case  of  the  taci- 
turn and  reserved,  or  the  cold  and  cautious  type  of  customer, 
the  hand-shake  will  tend  rather  to  accentuate  than  to  dimin- 
ish reserve  and  caution.  Where  previous  correspondence  has 
in  any  way  established  an  acquaintanceship,  a  salesman  may 
perhaps  offer  to  shake  hands;  but  a  safer  rule  to  follow  is 
to  wait  until  a  prospect  offers  his  own  hand  before  the  sales- 
man offers  his. 

§  138.     The  Correct  Use  of  "Sir"  and  "Madam" 

The  general  attitude  and  bearing  of  retail  salespeople  to- 
wards their  customers  have  been  discussed  in  Chapter  VII. 
The  approach  of  the  retail  salesperson  to  a  shopper  who  ha,' 
just  entered  the  store  will  now  be  considered  in  greater  detail, 

The  customer  who  enters  in  a  business-like  way  ob- 
viously comes  in  with  one  of  two  objects  in  mind — either  to 
buy  certain  goods  or  to  inspect  them.  If  the  salesman  is  un- 
occupied he  should  at  once  acknowledge  the  shopper's  pres- 
ence either  by  stepping  forward  or,  if  he  is  behind  the  coun- 
ter, by  moving  a  step  in  the  customer's  direction.  The  open- 
ing remark  may  be  "What  may  I  do  for  you  today?"  or  il 
may  be  merely,  "Good  morning"  or  "Good  afternoon,"  with 
the  adjunct  of  "Sir"  or  "Madam,"  as  the  case  may  require. 


OPENING   THE   INTERVIEW 


123 


When  the  customer  is  known  he  or  she  should,  of  course, 
be  addressed  by  name.  But  as  in  the  majority  of  cases  the 
shopper  is  a  stranger,  it  is  far  more  poHte  to  show  the  shght 
deference  signified  by  the  words  "Sir"  or  "Madam"  than  to 
address  a  nameless  and  indefinite  person.  Under  no  circum- 
stances should  any  other  form  of  address  be  substituted  for 
either  of  these  two  words.  "What  can  I  do  for  you,  'Mister' 
or  'Ma'am'  or  'Lady,'  "  are  ill-bred  provincialisms  used  by 
those  who  wrongly  imagine  that  the  use  of  the  words  "Sir" 
or  "Madam"  denotes  servility.  No  person  of  any  education 
or  breeding  fails  to  use  the  word  "Madam"  when  addressing 
a  woman  whose  name  is  unknown.  If  this  is  the  custom  in 
the  society  of  those  who  pay  attention  to  the  finer  shades  of 
manners  and  courtesy,  it  surely  befits  the  retail  salesperson 
to  adopt  the  same  form  of  address. 

§  139.     Helping  the  Customer  Who  Is  Looking  Around 

Unless  a  desire  is  shown  to  wander  around  and  inspect 
the  stock,  the  salesman  may  take  it  for  granted  that  the  cus- 
tomer requires  his  services.  When  customers  come  into  a 
store  without  any  definite  intention  of  buying,  they  should 
not  be  made  to  feel  that  they  are  under  any  obligation  to  do 
so.  Such  a  type  of  customer  is  usually  of  the  feminine  gender 
and  quickly  reveals  her  lack  of  purpose  by  the  indefinite  air 
with  which  she  gazes  around  the  store.  She  is  usually  best 
left  to  her  own  devices  and  any  insistence  will  frequently 
lead  to  her  rapid  departure  from  the  department  or  egress 
from  the  store.  All  that  the  retail  salesman  can  safely  do 
to  gain  her  attention  is  to  say,  "May  I  help  you  to  find  any- 
thing today.  Madam?"  or  a  remark  to  this  effect.  If  the 
customer  replies  that  she  is  "just  looking  around,"  the  sales- 
man may  add  that  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  give  her  some  in- 
formation about  anything  that  interests  her.  The  object  is  to 
gain  the  expression  of  a  definite  want  or  desire. 


124  ^^   CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOAIER 

§  140.    How  to  Handle  More  Than  One  Customer 

If  when  waiting  upon  one  customer  another  approaches, 
one  ot  three  methods  may  be  adopted.  If  another  salesperson 
can  be  summoned  to  attend  to  the  customer,  so  much  the 
better.  A  well-organized  store  usually  adopts  a  system 
whereby  each  salesperson  waits  on  customers  in  turn. 

If  no  other  employee  is  available,  then  the  presence  01 
the  customer  must  be  acknowledged  by  such  a  remark  as  "I 
will  be  at  your  service  in  a  moment.  Madam" — but  only  if 
the  purchase  which  the  first  customer  is  making  is  such  that 
the  salesman  believes  his  services  will  soon  be  available.  This 
may  be  safely  presumed  if  the  purchase  of  the  present  cus- 
tomer is  of  comparatively  small  value  and  does  not  require 
much  time  in  its  selection. 

The  third  course  is  to  wait  upon  both  customers  at  once. 
This,  however,  can  be  safely  done  only  when  a  purchase 
which  demands  time  and  care  in  making  a  selection  is  under 
consideration.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  neglect  one  cus- 
tomer in  favor  of  another.  But  if  one  customer  is  inspecting 
different  pieces  of  dress  goods  or  buying  an  article  which  de- 
mands careful  consideration  before  a  final  decision  is  reached, 
then  an  expert  salesperson  can  safely  wait  upon  two  or  even 
three  customers  at  once.  In  such  a  case  a  customer  often 
prefers  to  be  left  alone  in  making  the  choice  rather  than  feel 
that  the  salesperson  is  expectantly  awaiting  a  final  decision. 
Therefore,  by  serving  two  or  more  customers  at  the  same 
time  the  salesperson  allows  each  to  make  a  careful  inspection 
and  trial  of  the  stock  without  in  any  way  hurrying  them  in 
the  pleasant  task  of  shopping.  To  please  customers  is  the 
first  consideration  of  the  retail  salesperson. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

THINGS  TO  REMEMBER  IN  THE  BODY  OF 
THE  INTERVIEW 

§  141.     Things  That  Jolt  the  Harmony  of  an  Interview 

In  the  preceding  chapter  the  salesman's  attention  was 
drawn  to  several  little  things  he  must  bear  in  mind  when 
opening  the  interview.  Not  that  any  of  these  points  or  even 
all  of  them  taken  together  are  vitally  important.  But  if  a 
favorable  impression  is  to  be  made  at  the  opening  of  the  in- 
terview each  has  its  sphere  of  usefulness.  Attention  to  these 
details  is  essential  for  the  construction  of  the  perfect  whole. 

When  the  salesman  is  finally  launched  in  his  sales  argu- 
ment there  are  things  he  must  remember  to  do  and  others 
he  must  refrain  from  doing,  if  the  interview  is  to  proceed 
harmoniously.  Neglect  or  ignorance  of  these  details  may 
produce  such  a  mental  jolt  in  the  prospect's  mind  as  to  switch 
him  from  the  straight  road  leading  from  attention  to  action, 
and  all  efforts  to  get  him  back  on  the  track  may  prove  un- 
availing. Many  an  interview  which  opens  promisingly  is 
marred  in  this  way.  Perhaps  the  salesman  fails  to  read  his 
man  aright  and  says  or  does  something  which  jars;  or  he 
"knocks"  his  competitors;  or  he  makes  claims  which  seem 
exaggerated  because  they  are  unsupported  by  proof  and  this 
shakes  the  confidence  of  the  buyer  in  the  truth  of  his  state- 
ments. When  confidence  has  given  place  to  distrust  there 
is  little  chance  left  of  making  a  sale. 

All  this  naturally  leads  to  a  discussion  of  the  importance 
of  sizing  up  a  customer.     But  as  this  in  itself  is  a  subject  big 

125 


126  IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE  CUSTOMEK 

enough  for  elaboration  into  a  separate  chapter  it  will  be  lett 
for  later  consideration  (Chapter  XIV).  In  the  present 
chapter  we  will  study  some  of  those  little  matters  which,  if 
practiced  when  in  the  presence  of  the  customer,  will  help  to 
make  the  sales  talk,  and  thus  the  preparatory  work,  af  the 
salesman  most  effective. 

§  142.     Make  the  Argument  Applicable  to  Prospect'e  Needs 

When  constructing  his  sales  talk  the  salesman  has  in  mind 
his  customers  in  general.  He  cannot  plan  his  arguments  to 
appeal  to  a  particular  person  or  to  special  conditions  in  this 
person's  business.  When  delivering  them,  however,  a  slight 
modification  of  wording  will  often  make  the  sales  talk  defi- 
nitely applicable  to  the  prospect's  needs  or  business.  When 
this  is  possible  it  should  be  done,  as  thereby  the  appeal  gains 
greatly  in  force. 

For  example,  the  bread  salesman  when  delivering  the 
argument  about  the  demand  for  his  product  might  say,  "Mr. 
Brown,  you  have  a  good  store  here  and  I  should  judge  about 
three  hundred  customers  come  in  daily.  Of  these  three  hun- 
dred customers  a  conservative  estimate  is  that  at  least  one 
hundred  and  fifty  buy  10  cents  worth  of  bread  daily,  or  $15 
worth,  which  makes  just  about  $100  for  the  whole  week. 
Now  I  should  like  to  know  how  much  bread  you  sell  each 
week." 

"About  twenty  dollars  worth,"  replies  the  grocer. 

"Then  isn't  it  obvious  that  a  good  many  of  these  one 
hundred  and  fifty  customers  are  going  elsewhere  for  their 
bread  supply  although  they  buy  other  things  from  you?  ..." 

The  argument  expressed  in  this  way  gains  in  force  and 
interest.  It  directly  links  up  the  sale  of  this  particular  brand 
of  bread  with  the  grocer's  store.  Such  a  modification  as  this 
can  always  be  made  after  the  salesman  has  obtained  specific 
information  about  a  particular  case. 


THE   BODY   OF   THE   INTERVIEW  127 

§  143.     Avoid  Mentioning  Competitors 

The  argument  can  always  be  strengthened  by  mentioning 
in  some  way  its  connections  with  the  prospect's  own  business. 
It  can  rarely  if  ever  be  strengthened  by  mentioning  a  com- 
petitor's business. 

A  farmer  entered  a  general  country  store  and  asked  the 
price  of  an  incubator.  The  salesman  named  the  figure  and, 
wishing  perhaps  to  display  a  little  affability,  added,  "That's 
cheaper  than  you  could  buy  it  from  a  mail  order  house." 

"I  bet  you  it  isn't,"  retorted  the  customer. 

The  salesman  contended  that  the  incubator  he  was  offering 
could  not  be  bought  for  less  anywhere.  An  argument  fol- 
lowed. The  farmer  left  with  the  determination  to  prove  that 
the  price  of  the  mail  order  house  was  lower.  A  few  hours 
later  he  returned  in  triumph  with  a  catalogue  and  the  salesman 
was  compelled  to  admit  that  his  statement  was  incorrect. 

This  incident  illustrates  the  folly  of  mentioning  competi- 
tion unless  the  customer  himself  broaches  the  subject.  A 
comparison  of  values  may  never  occur  to  the  mind  of  the 
buyer  until  the  idea  is  first  suggested.  Only  when  the  cus- 
tomer himself  alludes  to  competing  goods  is  the  salesman 
entitled  to  remember  that  they  exist.  He  can  then  make 
definite  comparisons  between  his  wares  and  those  of  a  com- 
petitor. In  doing  this,  however,  he  should  avoid  making  dis- 
paraging statements — termed  "knocking,"  in  the  vernacular 
of  salesmanship.  Quite  naturally  business  men  or  retail  shop- 
pers always  suspect  the  salesman  who  tries  to  belittle  com- 
peting goods  in  order  to  enhance  the  value  of  his  own.  In 
doing  this  he  is  obviously  prompted  by  self-interest,  so  that 
the  statement  is  bound  to  be  discounted. 

A  furniture  salesman  replied  to  a  buyer  who  had  just 
explained  that  a  certain  order  had  gone  to  a  competitor, 
"Why,  their  chairs  will  fall  to  pieces  in  six  months!"  Such 
a  tactless  observation  as  this  reflected  on  the  judgment  of 


128  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

the  buyer.  It  was  obviously  made  from  an  interested  mo- 
tive, and  it  was  just  as  obviously  exaggerated.  The  buyer 
knew  that  the  firm  he  was  dealing  with  merited  his  confi- 
dence and  so  the  salesman  lost  all  chance  of  any  further  busi- 
ness in  that  quarter. 

§  144.     When  Comparisons  are  Permissible 

There  is  an  important  difference  between  "knocking"  and 
making  fair  comparisons.  When  the  customer  first  alludes  to 
competing  goods  the  salesman's  aim  should  be  to  show  the 
points  of  superiority  in  his  own,  rather  than  to  show  that 
his  competitor's  are  of  poor  or  inferior  quality.  He  can 
cheerfully  admit  that  the  competing  goods  have  points  in 
their  favor,  if  at  the  same  time  he  takes  care  to  show  the 
superior  merits  of  his  own. 

Thus  when  the  farmer  stated  that  he  could  buy  more 
cheaply  from  the  mail  order  house,  the  salesman  might  have 
replied,  "Yes,  I'll  bet  you  can,  but  if  you  do  make  a  bit  of  a 
saving,  is  it  worth  the  trouble?  First  you  have  to  write  out 
an  order,  and  then  wait  for  the  darn'd  thing  to  come,  and 
when  it  does  arrive  it  may  be  busted  or  battered  in  transit. 
Then  you  have  the  trouble  of  writing  to  straighten  out  the 
matter — in  fact  with  many  mail  order  transactions  there's  all 
sorts  of  trouble. 

"Now  when  you  buy  an  incubator  from  us  you  see  it  right 
here  on  the  floor.  You  can  pick  it  to  pieces  and  refuse  it  if 
there's  a  scratch  on  it.  It's  delivered  to  you  the  same  after- 
noon and  you  know  that  if  anything  goes  wrong  with  it,  we 
are  right  here  and  always  ready  to  make  good  without 
delay." 

This  is  an  example  of  the  skilful  use  of  comparative  state- 
ments. A  trifling  advantage  in  price  is  contrasted  with  the 
more  definite  advantages  of  buying  locally  rather  than  from 
a  mail  order  house,  and  is  in  no  way  disparaging  to  the  goods 


THE   BODY   OF  THE  INTERVIEW  129 

sold  through  the  mail.  The  attention  of  the  buyer  is  switched 
from  the  goods,  which  are  almost  identical  in  value,  to  the 
certainty  that  his  purchase  will  prove  satisfactory  in  every 
way. 

Thus  when  the  customer  makes  a  direct  comparison  which 
indicates  that  he  considers  competing  goods  o£fer  advantages 
not  included  in  those  before  him,  the  salesman  as  a  rule  can 
offset  any  features  in  favor  of  a  rival's  merchandise  with  one 
or  two  points  that  are  favorable  to  his  own.  The  better  policy 
is  always  to  acknowledge  a  superiority  in  a  competitor's 
goods,  if  the  salesman  himself  is  convinced  of  this  superior- 
ity. Having  acknowledged  the  worth  of  a  competitor,  the 
value  of  the  claims  made  for  his  own  goods  will  be  greatly 
enhanced. 

§  145.     Competition  May  be  Mentioned  When  Expected 

When  a  customer  after  listening  to  the  salesman's  argu- 
ment affirms  that  the  price  is  high  and  seems  reluctant  to 
place  an  order,  the  inference  may  safely  be  drawn  that  he  is 
mentally  comparing  the  goods  before  him  with  those  of  a 
competing  house — if  competition  is  to  be  expected.  In  such 
a  case  general  reference  to  the  subject  may  be  made  without 
specific  mention  of  any  one  competitor. 

For  instance,  a  salesman  offering  a  filing  cabinet  to  a  pros- 
pect whom  he  knows  to  be  considering  various  devices  with  a 
view  to  economical  selection,  might  remark,  "Our  cabinets 
combine  every  convenience  that  a  filing  cabinet  can  possiblv 
give.  A  filing  cabinet  is  not  a  complicated  piece  of  mechanism. 
There  are  several  good  makes  on  the  market.  We  do  not  claim 
that  ours  possesses  any  special  advantages  over  others.  But 
we  do  claim  that  our  manufacturing  facilities  and  our  large 
^•olume  of  trade  enable  us  to  place  a  lower-priced  filing  cabi- 
net on  the  market,  which  when  quality  and  price  are  consid- 
ered, cannot  be  equaled  by  any  other  house."     He  then  supn 


I30  IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE  CUSTOMER 

ports  his  claim  with  figures  as  to  sales,  and  he  mentions  the 
names  of  well-known  firms  which  use  the  filing  cabinets. 

If  at  this  point  the  customer  mentions  some  special  fea- 
ture of  a  competitive  cabinet,  such  as  a  temporary  filing 
drawer,  which  is  not  included  in  the  salesman's  office  equip- 
ment, the  reply  might  be  made,  "Yes,  I  admit  that  that  is 
sometimes  useful,  but  just  notice  the  convenience  of  this,  .  .  ." 
and  then  the  salesman  points  out  any  advantages  his  own 
product  may  possess  over  those  with  which  the  buyer  has 
made  a  comparison.  When  selling  in  a  competitive  field 
where  such  comparisons  are  likely  to  be  made,  part  of  the 
salesman's  preparatory  work  is  the  study  of  competitive  goods. 

The  importance  of  making  clear-cut  comparisons  rather 
than  vague,  disparaging  comments  is  fully  appreciated  by  sales- 
men who  handle  specialties.  The  adding  machine,  the  type- 
writer, or  the  cash  register  salesman  who  finds  another  ma- 
chine in  a  prospect's  of^ce  boldly  places  his  own  product  at 
the  side  of  a  competitor's  and  then  shows  in  detail  just  what 
his  machine  can  do  that  the  other  cannot.  He  points  out  any 
superiorities  in  construction  which  his  machine  may  have. 
He  compares  the  finish,  if  this  is  possible.  He  makes  com- 
parisons which  are  definite  and  fair  about  things  which  the 
prospect  can  see  for  himself,  so  that  the  truth  is  self-evident. 

§  146.     When  Demonstration  Is  Essential 

The  art  of  demonstrating  the  goods  and  thus  making  the 
sales  talk  live  and  interesting  has  been  considered  in  Chapter 
VL  The  practice  of  this  art  should  when  possible  form  part 
of  every  salesman's  preliminary  preparation.  As  already  ex- 
plained, the  selling  talk  becomes  more  interesting  and  more 
convincing  when  it  is  possible  to  show  in  graphic  fashion  what 
the  goods  will  do  or  what  are  their  special  qualities.  When 
handling  a  specialty  a  demonstration  is  in  many  cases  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  effect  a  sale. 


THE   BODY   OF   THE   INTERVIEW  131 

The  advantages  of  a  demonstration  are  so  obvious  that 
chey  need  not  be  further  emphasized.  It  is  well  to  point  out, 
however,  first,  that  a  demonstration  can  frequently  be  made 
^vhere  it  is  not  always  customary  to  do  so,  and  second,  that 
the  demonstration  becomes  doubly  effective  when  the  cus- 
tomer can  be  made  to  handle  the  goods.  The  retail  sales- 
man when  showing  a  scarf  may  be  content  to  place  a  box 
tn  front  of  a  customer,  name  the  price,  and  let  it  go  at  that. 
The  salesman  who  knows  his  business  picks  up  a  scarf,  winds 
it  around  his  fingers  in  such  a  way  that  the  customer  can  see 
how  it  will  look  when  tied,  and  with  extended  arm  admiringly 
looks  at  it.  Then  he  requests  the  customer  to  feel  its  excellent 
quality. 

As  another  example,  an  oleomargarin  salesman  may  talk 
eloquently  of  the  purity  of  his  product  and  the  equality  of 
its  flavor  with  that  of  pure  butter;  but  the  prejudice  of  a 
doubting  customer  lingers  until  he  is  asked  to  taste  the  prod- 
uct daintily  spread  over  a  biscuit  or  cracker. 

§  147.     Let  the  Customer  Handle  the  Goods 

When  the  customer  can  be  made  to  handle  the  goods  he 
thus  proves  for  himself  that  the  article,  machine,  or  instru- 
ment will  do  what  the  salesman  says  it  will  do.  In  many 
cases  a  personal  demonstration  is  the  best  of  all  methods  of 
arousing  desire.  The  clothing  salesman  requests  the  customer 
to  remove  his  coat  so  that  the  garment  can  be  tried  on  and 
its  appearance  studied  in  the  glass.  The  adding  machine 
salesman  asks  his  prospect  to  test  the  rapidity  with  which 
work  can  be  done  by  adding  and  checking  up  some  of  his 
own  accounts.  The  retail  salesman  in  a  hardware  store  when 
a  customer  asks  for  a  screw-driver  demonstrates  how  easy  it 
is  to  drive  in  screws  by  using  a  tool  with  a  spiral  revolving 
handle  and  asks  the  customer  to  try  it  out  for  himself  on  a 
board  specially  provided  for  the  purpose.     Tn  most  cases  the 


132  IN    CONTACT  WITH  THE   CUSTOMER 

customer  needs  only  to  make  the  demonstration  for  himself 
to  be  convinced  that  the  article  is  well  worth  the  price. 

§  148.    The  Importance  of  Asking  Questions 

In  Chapter  XI  the  importance  was  emphasized  of  secur- 
ing the  mental  assent  of  the  customer  to  all  claims,  whether 
relating  to  the  goods  in  general  or  to  their  value  in  a  par- 
ticular case.  It  is  a  safe  surmise  that  the  interview  is  pro- 
gressing favorably  when  the  customer  willingly  and  readily 
responds  to  questions.  If  his  attitude  is  cold  and  reserved, 
this  very  likely  is  because  he  does  not  propose  to  buy  a  thing 
which  he  thinks  he  does  not  need.  When,  however,  he  be- 
gins to  realize  the  value  of  the  ofifer  his  mental  attitude 
changes.  His  interest  gradually  strengthens  into  a  desire  to 
purchase  and  only  his  caution  or  indecision  may  hold  him 
back.  A  few  deft  questions  at  this  point  will  reveal  the 
stumbling  block  to  the  consummation  of  the  sale  and  suggest 
arguments  which  will  overcome  the  final  objection.  Or  bet- 
ter still,  those  questions  may  relate  to  the  prospect's  own  busi- 
ness and  thus  show  that  the  salesman  is  looking  at  his  ofifer 
from  the  customer's  point  of  view. 

Thus  the  adding  machine  salesman  who  has  secured  the 
interest  of  a  prospect  to  the  degree  that  the  latter  is  demon- 
strating the  machine  for  himself,  may  ask  what  system  of 
accounts  is  kept  in  the  ofifice,  how  much  the  bookkeeper  is 
paid,  how  much  overtime  is  worked  when  inventory  is  taken, 
how  long  it  lasts,  how  many  statements  are  sent  out  at  the 
end  of  the  month,  and  questions  of  like  nature,  in  order  to 
show  the  prospective  buyer  exactly  what  saving  the  use  of 
the  machine  will  efifect.  A  wholesale  salesman  offering  lino- 
leum to  a  furniture  dealer  might,  after  interest  is  aroused,  ask 
the  merchant  how  much  he  sold  annually,  with  how  much 
advertising,  what  other  lines  he  was  handling,  and  so  on.  At 
the    opening   of   the   interview   the   merchant   would   resent 


THE   BODY   OF   THE   INTERVIEW  133 

queries  of  this  kind  and  be  disinclined  to  give  such  informa- 
tion. If  the  interview  is  progressing  favorably  he  will  be 
quite  willing  to  answer.  Obviously  the  replies  to  these  queries 
will  enable  the  salesman  to  make  a  shrewd  guess  as  to  the 
best  method  of  so  wording  his  final  appeal  that  it  will  surely 
clinch  the  sale. 

§  149.     Developing  Confidence  in  the  Buyer 

Presuming  that  the  customer  replies  readily  to  the  queries 
put  to  him,  this  will  indicate  that  his  antagonism  to  what  has 
seemed  the  unnecessary  spending  of  money  is  vanishing  and 
that  he  is  contemplating  the  purchase.  For  some  reason  or 
other,  however,  he  may  still  hold  back.  In  all  probability 
he  is  a  cautious  or  procrastinating  type  of  buyer  who  needs 
to  have  his  confidence  in  the  merits  of  the  offer  strengthened. 
If  he  lacks  this  confidence  he  is  certain  to  postpone  the  pur- 
chase and  perhaps  to  forego  it  entirely.  The  answers  he 
makes  will  enable  the  salesman  to  feel  intuitively  where  con- 
fidence is  lacking  and  needs  to  be  imparted. 

The  furniture  dealer,  for  instance,  may  become  interested 
in  certain  linoleums  and  admit  that  the  prices  are  attractive. 
But  if  he  hesitates  for  any  length  of  time  before  deciding  to 
buy.  it  is  safe  to  infer  that  he  mistrusts  some  other  phase  of 
the  offer.  He  may  doubt  whether  the  goods  will  be  equal 
to  sample,  or  whether  deliveries  will  be  made  on  time,  or  any 
of  several  other  reasons  may  cause  his  indecision.  At  this 
point  every  effort  should  be  made  to  increase  that  confidence 
in  the  all-round  integrity  of  the  offer  which  alone  may  be 
needed  to  consummate  the  sale.  The  linoleum  salesman  might 
mention  other  large  concerns  which  buy  his  product,  the 
quantity  they  purchase,  and  the  length  of  time  they  have  dealt 
with  his  house,  as  evidence  that  if  such  important  firms  as 
these  deal  with  him  his  product  must  be  all  that  he  claims. 
Or  the  salesman  might  tell  the  prospect  something  about  the 


134  IN    CONTACT    WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

history  of  his  house — the  fact  that  they  have  been  in  business 
over  fifty  years,  or  information  of  that  kind. 

§  150.     The  Use  of  Testimonials 

In  suitable  cases  the  best  of  all  means  of  developing  con- 
fidence is  to  place  before  the  buyer  indorsements  or  testi- 
monials from  those  who  have  already  tried  the  product.  This 
method  is  of  special  value  in  the  sale  of  a  specialty  or  when 
selling  to  the  consumer  from  house  to  house. 

An  artist  in  house-to-house  canvassing,  who  sells  soaps  ot 
different  kinds  to  the  housewife,  usually  makes  his  first  visit 
vvhen  he  enters  a  town  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Health  (if  there  is  such  a  gentleman),  or  to  other  prominent 
citizens,  with  the  object  of  securing  their  indorsement  of  his 
goods.  This  indorsement  he  uses  as  a  lever  in  developing 
the  confidence  of  the  housewife.  He  might,  of  course,  carry 
with  him  testimonials  from  people  in  other  towns;  but  he 
knows  from  experience  how  much  stronger  are  local  testi- 
monials than  those  of  strangers ;  he  knows  that  in  addition  to 
inspiring  confidence  a  testimonial  signed  by  a  local  user  will 
arouse  the  desire  to  follow  in  the  footstep?   of  others. 

§     151.     Where  Testimonials  Are  Most  Useful 

Testimonials  are  most  efficacious  when  customers  are  un- 
able to  estimate  the  value  of  an  article.  For  example,  in 
buying  a  washing  machine  the  housewife  does  not  assume  to 
be  a  competent  judge  of  its  durability  or  the  strength  of  its 
mechanism.  She  may  like  the  machine  and  wish  to  buy  it. 
But  if  she  lacks  confidence  in  her  own  ability  as  a  mechanic 
and  wonders  how  much  it  will  cost  for  repairs,  she  may  re- 
fuse to  make  the  comparatively  big  investment.  But  when 
the  salesman  puts  before  her  statements  from  other  users  who 
assert  that  they  have  never  had  any  trouble  with  the  machine, 
these  testimonials  give  her  confidence  in  the  assurance  that 


THE   BODY   OF  THE   INTERVIEW 


135 


the  device  will  last  for  years  without  costing  anything  for 
repairs. 

In  the  same  way  the  salesman  for  a  business  school  or  a 
correspondence  course  of  instruction  carries  with  him  testi- 
monials from  former  students  to  prove  that  the  course  of  in- 
struction has  been  of  great  value  to  others  and  will  there- 
fore be  of  equal  value  to  the  prospect.  The  latter  cannot 
judge  from  his  own  observations.  If  the  confidence  needed 
to  make  the  purchase  is  to  be  aroused,  the  claims  made  must 
be  supported  by  proof  that  they  are  reliable  and  in  no  way 
exaggerated. 

§  152.     When  to  Use  Testimonials 

In  the  case  of  a  professional  buyer  or  a  man  who  has  a 
technical  knowledge  of  the  goods  offered,  the  salesman 
should  not  offer  testimonials  as  evidence  of  the  truth  of  his 
statements.  Such  a  buyer  can  see  the  quality  for  himself.  To 
ask  him  to  base  his  decision  on  the  judgment  of  others  is 
to  cast  a  reflection  upon  his  own  power  of  judgment.  In- 
experienced or  retail  buyers  need  to  have  clear  and  direct  evi- 
dence placed  in  front  of  them.  Wholesale  or  experienced 
buyers  may  very  likely  be  repelled  by  this  method. 

The  sale  of  a  specialty  is  frequently  made  to  those  who 
know  little  or  nothing  about  it.  Therefore  the  specialty  sales- 
man often  makes  good  use  of  letters  which  give  the  opinions 
and  experiences  of  users  of  the  goods.  When  he  shows  these 
to  a  doubting  customer  who  lacks  the  necessary  confidence 
that  clinches  a  sale,  he  virtually  says,  "Don't  believe  what  1 
say !  Here  is  testimony  signed  by  others  as  to  what  my  prod- 
uct has  done  for  them." 

With  a  wholesale  buyer,  procedure  such  as  the  fol- 
lowing would  be  preferable,  "Mr.  Jones  over  in  Watson- 
ville  has  been  handling  this  line  now  for  six  months.  I  believe 
you  know  him.     On  his  last  order,  which  I  happen  to  have 


136 


IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE  CUSTOMER 


with  me,  he  says  it's  the  biggest  profit-maker  in  his  whole 
line — it  has  taken  much  better  with  his  trade  than  he  ex- 
pected." The  salesman  can  thus  quietly  and  confidently  inti- 
mate that  the  letter  is  in  his  possession  to  be  seen  on  request. 
He  does  not,  however,  thrust  it  before  the  buyer  unless  the 
latter  reveals  a  desire  to  read  it.  In  this  way  the  full  value 
of  a  strong  testimonial  is  secured  without  casting  any  re- 
flection upon  the  judgment  of  the  buyer  or  arousing  suspicion 
that  the  testimonial  in  question  may  exist  only  in  the  sales- 
man's imagination. 

§  153.     Following  Up  the  First  Visit 

Sometimes,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  inspire  the  confi- 
dence needed  to  close,  no  sale  results.  This  does  not  neces- 
sarily mean  that  the  sale  is  lost  or  is  impossible.  If  specialty 
salesmen  gave  up  a  prospect  after  the  first  or  second  futile  call, 
most  of  the  houses  they  represent  would  go  out  of  business. 
A  prospect  who  has  shown  sufficient  interest  in  any  goods  to 
inspect  them  and  ask  questions  about  them  may  be  a  much 
more  likely  customer  at  the  second  or  third  visit  than  at  the 
first.  If,  however,  the  second  or  any  subsequent  call  is  to  be 
fruitful,  the  salesman  must  have  additional  arguments  ready 
and  new  facts  to  bring  forward;  or  -he  should  be  prepared 
to  present  his  former  facts  in  a  new  way.  When  the  prospect 
finds  that  he  is  being  told  only  what  he  has  heard  before,  the 
implication  is  that  he  is  simply  being  urged  to  buy.  He  then 
becomes  impatient  and  unresponsive.  But  when  he  has  once 
given  a  responsive  audience  to  the  salesman  he  is  doubly  will- 
ing to  hear  anything  further  in  favor  of  the  goods,  if  the 
additional  sales  talk  presents  the  offer  in  a  new  light  and  is 
not  merely  a  repetition  of  what  has  already  been  explained. 

A  safe  procedure  to  adopt  when  calling  a  second  or  third 
time  is  to  base  the  seUing  talk  on  a  different  motive  of  appeal. 
In  opening  the  interview  the  salesman  might  say  that  on  his 


THE   BODY  OF  THE   INTERVIEW  137 

last  visit  he  had  said  all  th-at  was  necessary  as  to  the  ad- 
vantages of  this  offer  from  one  point  of  view.  He  had,  how- 
ever, omitted,  time  not  being  allowed  him,  to  discuss  another 
and  equally  important  viewpoint,  etc.,  which  is,  etc.,  etc. 

Thus  an  encyclopedia  salesman,  if  he  is  unable  to  make  a 
sale  on  the  first  visit,  when  his  argument  is  based  on  the 
utility  of  his  books  as  a  mine  of  information,  may  start  his 
second  interview  in  this  way,  "Mr.  Jones,  I  have  just  sold  a 
set  of  encyclopedia  in  the  limp  leather  binding  to  your  neigh- 
bor, Mr.  Blank,  the  President  of  the  Grif^ngham  Railroad. 
Have  you  considered  what  an  attractive  addition  this  hand- 
some set  would  make  to  your  own  library,  etc.  ?"  This  is  a 
direct  appeal  to  the  desire  to  imitate  others  and  often  proves 
successful  where  a  former  mode  of  attack  has  failed. 

The  salesman  who  studies  the  cause  of  his  failure  with 
the  object  of  doing  better  next  time  will  frequently  reach  the 
conclusion  that  he  has  failed  to  handle  a  certain  customer  in 
the  way  that  will  most  forcefully  appeal  to  a  man  of  his  type. 
So  he  determines  to  vary  his  methods  on  his  next  visit.  This 
naturally  leads  to  a  discussion  of  different  types  of  customers 
and  how  to  deal  with  them. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  CUSTOMERS  AND  HOW  TO 
DEAL  WITH  THEM 

§  154.     Sizing  Up  the  Buyer 

The  salesman  should  cultivate  the  art  of  "sizing  up"  his 
customers.  To  do  this  seems  a  simple  common  sense  pro- 
cedure, and  yet  many  a  man  has  a  "cut  and  dried"  way  of  ap- 
proaching all  customers  alike  and  treating  them  as  if  they 
were  all  run  in  the  same  mold.  To  size  up  his  man  it  is  not 
necessary  for  the  salesman  to  be  an  expert  judge  of  human 
nature.  He  need  not  be  able  to  tell  at  a  glance  whether  his 
customer  belongs  to  one  of  the  three  types,  which  in  the  jargon 
of  pseudo-psychological  salesmanship  are  sometimes  referred 
to  as  "sanguine,"  "nervous,"  and  "phlegmatic";  but  it  is 
necessary  for  him  to  use  his  faculty  of  observation  and  power 
of  reasoning  at  least  to  the  extent  of  determining  the  probable 
mode  of  thought  of  the  buyer  as  revealed  by  outward  manner 
and  characteristics  of  speech. 

§  155.     How  Temperament  Modifies  the  Customer's  Attitude 

The  acts  of  different  persons  in  the  same  circumstances  or 
when  appealed  to  in  the  same  way  will  vary  widely  as  modified 
by  temperament  and  personal  peculiarities.  One  retail  mer- 
chant, for  example,  may  be  cautious  and  deliberate  in  his 
bearing ;  another  may  reveal  a  nervous,  irritable  disposition ;  a 
third  may  be  genial  in  his  manner  and  on  the  surface  refuse 
to  consider  the  salesman's  offer  seriously.  All  these  types 
are  actuated  in  their  buying  by  the  same  fundamental  motives 

138 


DIFFERENT   TYPES   OF   CUSTOMERS 


139 


and  are  interested  in  the  offer  for  the  same  reason — to  resell 
at  a  profit.  Their  general  mental  attitude  toward  the  sales- 
man is  the  same.  Yet  they  are  influenced  differently  by  the 
arguments  presented  and  they  view  the  offer  from  different 
angles,  because  their  temperaments  or  their  dispositions  to 
some  extent  color  their  point  of  view. 

§  156.     Argument  Must  Be  Adapted  to  Temperament 

While  these  differences  in  temperament  do  not  greatly  in- 
fluence the  primary  buying  motive,  yet  manner  and  method 
must  be  modified  to  suit  the  customer's  type.  Occasionally  it 
may  be  necessary  to  appeal  to  a  second  and  third  motive 
because  of  their  influence  upon  a  particular  temperament. 

For  example,  a  nervous,  fussy  hardware  dealer,  who  in- 
spects every  detail  of  a  new  offer  and  needs  to  be  reassured 
upon  every  point,  might  be  influenced  in  his  final  decision  to 
buy  if  he  were  informed  that  such  an  article  as,  say,  shade 
rollers  would  be  packed  with  screws  and  thus  be  all  ready  for 
resale,  and  that  instructions  for  putting  up  the  roller  would  be 
included  in  each  package.  His  instinct  of  caution  is  appealed 
to  when  he  learns  that  he  is  to  be  relieved  of  the  trouble  of 
counting  out  screws,  wrapping  the  rollers,  and  explaining 
to  his  customers  how  to  put  them  up. 

A  second  appeal  to  such  a  buyer's  instinctive  caution  might 
be  made.  He  might  be  told  that  the  company  represented  by 
the  salesman  paid  freight  and  would  grant  him  thirty  days' 
credit — ample  time  in  which  to  open  and  check  up  the  goods. 
The  appeal  is  again  more  to  caution  than  to  profit  resulting 
from  a  saving  in  freight  charges.  Further  he  might  be  given 
a  written  guarantee  that  any  goods  returned  as  faulty  would 
be  promptly  replaced.  All  these  selling  arguments,  directed 
to  the  motive  of  caution,  would  be  much  more  potent  in  their 
appeal  to  this  type  of  customer  than  to  one  who  considered 
only  the  profit  on  any  transaction. 


I40  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE  CUSTOMER 

§  157.     Illustration  of  the  Importance  of  Different  Methods 

The  need  of  varying  one  sales  argument  to  suit  different 
temperaments  is  illustrated  by  the  following  incident. 

A  budding  salesman  for  a  wholesale  dry-goods  house  was 
being  shown  "how  the  wheels  go  round"  by  one  of  the  older 
salesmen  representing  the  firm.  The  two  representatives  were 
received  with  a  warm  friendly  greeting  at  almost  every  place  of 
call.  Buyers  were  well  acquainted  with  the  older  salesman; 
they  enjoyed  his  good-humored  geniality  and  his  intimate  jocu- 
larity; many  of  them  regarded  him  as  a  personal  friend.  In 
consequence  his  opening  greeting  in  almost  every  case  was 
that  of  a  man  on  a  familiar  footing,  who  feels  sure  of  his 
welcome. 

When  the  beginner  was  finally  left  to  his  own  resources  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  "hail-fellow-well-met"  attitude 
was  the  proper  one  with  which  to  approach  his  trade.  The 
first  buyer  he  called  on  belonged  to  the  genial,  impulsive  type 
which  is  always  ready  to  meet  a  fellow  being  on  intimate 
ground.  The  next  customer  belonged  to  the  cold  and  calculat- 
ing type  which,  as  a  rule,  resents  any  attempt  at  familiarity. 
The  salesman  greeted  both  customers  jovially,  he  commented 
on  the  weather,  and  made  a  few  "joshing"  remarks  as  to  the 
buyer's  stock  and  the  tastefulness  of  his  display.  The  easy 
familiarity  of  the  approach  caused  no  offense  in  the  first  case 
and  appealed  to  the  buyer's  mood;  the  same  approach  in  the 
second  case  caused  irritation. 

The  cold  and  calculating  buyer  wanted  to  hear  about  the 
salesman's  offer.  He  was  anxious  to  decide  whether  the 
goods  were  worth  his  inspection  and  to  return  to  his  work  as 
quickly  as  possible.  So  without  any  further  parley  he  broke 
in  irritably: 

"Well,  tell  me  exactly  what  you  have  to  show.  Be  quick, 
please,  I'm  busy!" 

The  tone  of  voice  clearly  showed  that  he  was  intensely  ir- 


DIFFERENT   TYPES    OF   CUSTOMERS 


141 


ritated — not  so  much  with  the  salesman  personally  as  with 
his  method.  Instead  of  cheerfully  apologizing,  "cutting  out 
the  cackle,"  and  promptly  showing  his  samples,  the  salesman 
assumed  an  air  of  injured  innocence  and  in  an  indifferent 
mood  proceeded  to  display  his  line.  The  interview  was  not 
a  happy  one  and  was  soon  abruptly  brought  to  a  close  by  the 
impatient  buyer's  deciding  that  he  required  "nothing  at  all 
today."  Yet  he  had  invariably  given  a  substantial  order  when 
visited  by  the  older  salesman.  Only  the  inexperience  and  the 
manner  of  the  young  salesman  caused  him  to  reveal  his  irri- 
tation and  cancel  the  order  he  fully  intended  to  give  to  the 
house  with  which  he  had  long  done  business. 

§  158.     Futility  of  Arbitrary  Classification 

An  attempt  to  classify  every  buyer  as  belonging  to  some 
arbitrary  and  definite  type  is  valueless  for  the  reason  that  no 
person  can  ever  be  said  to  belong  wholly  to  one  particular 
type.  Human  nature  is  complex  and  too  variable  to  be 
run  into  fixed  molds.  There  are,  however,  certain  mental 
characteristics  which  are  significant  and  which  appear  in  some 
form  or  another  in  every  buyer,  such  as  caution  to  the  verge  of 
suspicion,  or  willingness  to  take  a  chance;  ability  or  inability 
to  concentrate;  enthusiasm  or  unemotional  stolidity;  impa- 
tience or  deliberation;  and  so  on.  Each  of  these  characteris- 
tics has  its  contrasting  attribute.  A  method  or  manner  of 
presenting  the  offer  which  would  appeal  in  one  case  might 
and  often  would  prove  disastrous  when  used  with  a  contrasting 
type. 

The  salesman  should  therefore  vary  his  manner  and  modify 
his  sales  talk  so  as  to  appeal  to  and  avoid  irritating  a  buyer's 
peculiarities.  Nothing  in  his  method  of  presenting  the  argu- 
ments should  rub  the  customer's  feelings  the  wrong  way. 
This,  as  before  mentioned,  does  not  imply  the  ability  of  a 
mind  reader  or  the  possession  of  "second  sight."     It  does, 


142  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

however,  mean  that  the  powers  of  observation  must  be  used 
at  least  to  the  extent  of  sizing  up  the  customer  as  fully  as 
possible.  Having  determined  that  the  buyer  possesses  certain 
characteristics  which  make  it  advisable  to  treat  him  in  a  certain 
way  the  salesman  will  then  vary  his  method  accordingly. 

§  159.     The  Easy-Going,  Good-Natured  Type  of  Buyer 

The  salesman  will,  for  instance,  frequently  come  in  con- 
tact with  the  good-natured,  genial  sort  of  person  who  is  friend- 
ly and  well  disposed  to  all  the  world.  A  customer  of  this 
class  is  as  a  rule  easy  to  approach — especially  if  he  acts  in  the 
capacity  of  buyer  or  purchasing  agent.  If  he  has  any  time  on 
his  hands  and  if  it  is  possible  to  grant  an  interview,  he  will 
do  so,  even  though  the  salesman  may  be  unknown  to  him  and 
he  does  not  expect  that  the  proposition  will  be  worth  serious 
consideration. 

The  manner  and  the  ease  with  which  such  a  type  is  ap- 
proached should  not  make  the  salesman  jump  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  it  will  be  easy  to  secure  an  order.  The  natural 
friendliness  of  his  disposition  makes  him  greet  everybody 
cordially,  but  his  practical  business  sense,  which  is  presup- 
posed by  the  position  he  holds,  will  cause  him  to  drive  a  keen 
bargain  or  to  postpone  action  if  he  thinks  he  has  anything  to 
gain  thereby. 

In  approaching  such  a  type  the  salesman  will  naturally 
greet  him  on  exactly  the  same  footing  as  he  himself  is  greeted. 
Then  if  the  buyer  cannot  be  convinced  that  the  ofifer  is  a  timely 
one,  the  salesman  can  at  least  suggest  the  hope  of  better  results 
in  the  future ;  for  this  reason  he  will  persist  in  calling  with  the 
expectation  of  receiving  an  order.  Where  there  is  little  to 
choose  on  the  score  of  price,  quality,  and  terms  between  the 
goods  offered  and  those  of  competitors,  the  only  chance  of 
influencing  a  buyer  of  this  type  is  to  cultivate  friendly  relations. 
The  art  of  doing  this  is  discussed  in  Chapter  XX. 


DIFFERENT   TYPES   OF   CUSTOMERS  143 

§  160.     The  Cold,  Critical  Buyer 

The  cold  and  critical  customer  is  in  direct  contrast  to  the 
preceding  type.  His  usual  greeting  is  curt  and  abrupt. 
"Well  what  do  you  want?"  or  "What  have  you  to  show  to- 
day?" or  "I  have  little  time  to  spare — be  quick,"  he  snaps 
out.  His  manner  conveys  the  impression  that  the  salesman 
must  be  brief  about  his  business  if  the  offer  is  to  receive  con- 
sideration. 

To  the  inexperienced  salesman  this  type  of  customer  is 
very  disconcerting.  It  should,  however,  be  remembered  that 
if  the  goods  are  what  is  claimed  for  them,  it  is  to  the  buyer's 
interest  to  inspect  them  and  give  them  every  consideration. 
Therefore  the  salesman  should  not  allow  an  abrupt  manner  to 
fluster  him  in  any  way  or  to  curtail  the  proper  presentation 
of  his  argument. 

When  samples  or  catalogues  are  displayed,  the  critical  type 
usually  avoids  making  any  favorable  comment  and  expresses 
himself  only  when  he  has  something  to  say  that  detracts  from 
the  value  of  the  goods.  It  is  impossible  to  work  him  up  to 
the  point  of  acknowledging  his  interest,  and  in  consequence 
the  salesman  is  frequently  at  a  loss  to  understand  what  im- 
pression his  sales  talk  is  making.  Any  display  of  enthusiasm 
only  leaves  such  a  buyer  cold  and  indifferent. 

In  handling  this  type  the  salesman  should  not  allow  his 
own  conviction  of  the  merits  of  his  offer  to  be  in  any  way 
shaken  by  the  customer's  cold  and  cautious  attitude.  He 
should  go  straight  to  the  point,  giving  an  adequate  description 
of  his  goods,  with  earnestness,  but  without  any  open  expres- 
sion of  enthusiasm.  A  reasoned  appeal  to  the  motive  of 
profit,  which  in  such  a  case  is  paramount,  is  all  that  is  needed. 
Finally  when  the  time  comes  to  close  the  sale,  he  should  ex- 
press his  pent-up  enthusiasm  in  one  strong  blast  in  which  the 
numerous  advantages  of  the  offer  are  summed  up.  It  is 
important  to  impress  this  type  of  buyer  with  the  fact  that  the 


144 


IN    CONTACT    WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


salesman's  opinion  of  the  goods  has  in  no  way  been  shaken 
by  the  customer's  indifference.  The  salesman  may  not  be  able 
perceptibly  to  thaw  the  buyer  with  the  heat  of  his  own  en- 
thusiasm, but  insensibly  his  earnest  belief  in  the  merits  of 
the  offer  will  produce  an  effect. 

§  i6i.     Do  Not  Teach  the  Buyer  His  Own  Business 

A  word  of  caution  is  necessary  in  regard  to  the  handling 
of  the  cold  and  critical  customer  just  mentioned.  When  ap- 
proaching a  wholesale  buyer  or  a  purchasing  agent  of  this 
type,  tact  is  needed  to  guard  against  making  any  statement 
which  will  seem  to  presume  on  the  salesman's  part  a  greater 
knowledge  of  the  buyer's  business  than  the  latter  himself  pos- 
sesses. A  person  of  this  disposition  usually  resents  the  as- 
sumption of  superior  knowledge  in  others.  A  further  mistake 
is  to  be  too  loquacious  and  to  insist  upon  explaining  some- 
thing which  is  already  known  or  which  can  be  deduced.  The 
incident  given  in  Chapter  XI  (page  113)  illustrates  the  danger 
of  too  much  loquacity  and  too  great  an  assumption  of  knowl- 
edge when  the  salesman  is  confronted  with  the  cold  and  critical 
buyer. 

§  162.     The  Self-important  Type  of  Buyer 

The  self-important  type  of  customer  is  sure  to  be  met  with 
in  the  course  of  the  day's  work  and  the  salesman's  attitude 
must  again  be  modified  to  suit  peculiar  characteristics.  This 
type  can  often  be  recognized  by  the  favorite  trick  of  keeping 
the  salesman,  who  is  shown  into  his  presence,  waiting  for  a 
few  moments  while  he  attends  to  an  apparently  important  but 
probably  trivial  detail  of  work.  Instead  of  presenting  the  ar- 
gument in  the  form  of  emphatic  assertion,  supported  if  possible 
by  proof — as  would  be  the  logical  method  in  the  presence  of 
a  man  who  is  cautious  and  undecided — the  statements  should 
be  turned  so  as  to  present  them  in  the  form  of  queries  which 


DIFFERENT   TYPES   OF   CUSTOMERS  145 

will  enable  the  buyer  to  air  his  own  opinions.  When  these 
opinions  run  counter  to  those  of  the  salesman  the  customer 
does  not  scruple  to  depreciate  the  offer.  But  the  salesman  need 
not  worry  much  about  this  in  the  early  part  of  the  interview. 
It  is  only  one  of  the  buyer's  little  ways. 

The  weak  place  in  the  armor  of  a  man  of  this  type  is  his 
conceit.  He  is  clever,  but  he  overrates  his  own  ability. 
When  once  he  decides  that  a  thing  is  so,  the  matter  is  closed. 
To  question  the  correctness  of  his  decision  or  to  attempt  to 
explain  to  him  that  he  is  in  error  and  that  his  conclusions  are 
mistaken,  is  almost  fatal  to  a  sale. 

The  successful  handling  of  such  a  customer  largely  de- 
pends upon  the  skill  with  which  all  open  contradiction  is 
avoided  and  an  expression  of  his  own  opinion  secured,  as  to 
points  which  are  outside  of  controversy.  "What  is  your 
opinion  of  this,  Mr.  Blank?";  "I  should  like  to  know  whether 
you  don't  ....  ?" — and  similar  queries  should  precede  all 
the  claims  and  statements  made.  His  favorable  opinion  as 
to  the  merits  of  the  various  points  of  an  offer  can  often  be  ex- 
tracted in  this  way. 

When  the  proposition  is  such  that  a  decision  at  the  first 
interview  is  dif^cult  to  obtain,  the  self-important  type  of  buyer 
can  often  be  encouraged  to  come  to  the  point  if  addressed 
somewhat  as  follows: 

"Mr.  Blank,  I  know  from  experience  that  many  of  my 
customers  like  to  take  time  to  consider  this  matter.  You,  I 
believe,  can  tell  almost  at  a  glance  what  its  merits  really  are. 
You  are  the  sort  of  man  who  can  trust  to  his  own  judgment 
and  make  up  his  own  mind.  I  won't  ask  you  to  take  time  in 
order  to  look  into  it — it  isn't  necessary  in  your  case.  How 
many  dozen  will  you  require?" 

In  short,  agree  with  this  buyer  whenever  possible,  ask  for 
information  from  him  when  opportunity  offers,  convey  the 
impression  that  you  are  willing  to  learn  from  him,  and  then 


146  IN    CONTACT    WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

if  he  can  give  you  an  order  he  will  do  so.  But  rub  him  up 
the  wrong  way  and  whatever  the  merits  of  an  offer  he  will 
be  blind  to  them. 

§  163.     Other  Types  of  Buyers 

It  would  be  possible  to  list  a  number  of  widely  distinctive 
types  and  to  suggest  different  methods  of  treatment  in  each 
case.  The  examples  given,  however,  are  sufficient  to  indicate 
various  methods  of  procedure. 

A  buyer  may  lean  rather  to  one  type  than  to  another 
and  yet  reveal  a  combination  of  several  characteristics.  The 
method  that  suits  a  particular  case  must  be  largely  what  is 
indicated  by  tact  and  common  sense.  When  certain  mental 
characteristics  are  revealed  in  a  pronounced  degree,  special 
treatment  will  naturally  suggest  itself.  The  cautious,  nervous 
type  of  buyer  obviously  needs  to  be  reassured  on  all  points 
and  to  be  given  proof  in  support  of  every  statement.  The 
procrastinating  type  will  need  to  be  argued  with  in  the  way 
suggested  in  Chapter  XVII.  The  man  who  likes  to  take  a 
chance  will  often  buy  if  an  appeal  is  made  to  his  sporting 
instinct — and  so  it  goes.  This  chapter  will  serve  its  purpose 
if  the  salesman  will  remember  to  vary  his  methods  so  as  to 
suit  different  characteristics  and  thus  avoid  getting  into  a 
rut,  as  he  does  when  he  delivers  the  same  old  sales  talk  in  a 
stereotyped  way. 


CHAPTER  XV 

CHARACTERISTIC  RETAIL  TYPES 

§  164.     When  the  Study  of  Retail  Types  is  Useful 

Nine  people  out  of  ten  who  enter  a  retail  store  know 
definitely  what  they  want  to  buy;  the  majority  of  these  nine 
have  an  equally  decided  idea  as  to  the  price  they  are  prepared 
to  pay.  The  housewife  who  comes  with  a  long  list  of  pur- 
chases, the  woman  who  is  looking  for  a  particular  garment, 
or  the  girl  who  is  choosing  a  hat  or  a  pair  of  shoes,  usually 
knows  what  she  wants  and  is  determined  to  find  it  even  if 
she  must  inspect  a  dozen  windows  or  almost  as  many  stores 
before  she  discovers  it.  Thus,  it  is  not  so  essential  for  the 
retail  salesperson  to  be  able  to  read  character  or  to  vary 
the  method  of  showing  the  goods  when  dealing  with  per- 
sons of  different  temperament,  as  it  is  to  be  patient  and 
courteous  and  to  wait  upon  customers  with  a  sincere  desire  to 
please.  A  sale  will  then  be  made  if  the  goods  in  stock  are 
those  that  the  customer  is  in  search  of. 

There  are,  however,  two  distinct  types  of  shoppers  who 
must  be  handled  with  tact  if  they  are  to  be  catered  to  suc- 
cessfully and  if  their  patronage  is  to  be  permanently  retained. 
As  these  two  types  form  a  considerable  proportion  of  the 
feminine  shoppers  who  frequent  the  larger  stores  it  is  well 
to  consider  their  peculiarities  in  detail. 

§  165.     The  Nervous,  Irritable,  Querulous  Shopper 

This  type  of  shopper  is  not  infrequently  met  with,  especially 
in  the  larger  cities  where  wealth  and  fashion  hold  sway.     She 

147 


I4« 


IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


is  merely  a  spoiled  child  in  adult  form  whose  every  whim  must 
be  gratified.  She  is.  used  to  having  her  ovk^n  way,  used  to  be- 
ing waited  upon;  she  cannot  bear  opposition;  if  she  fails  to 
find  exactly  what  pleases  her  or  that  she  is  in  search  of — and 
frequently  she  does  not  know  what  she  wants — she  resents 
the  fact  as  a  lack  of  courtesy  on  the  part  of  the  store  and 
the  salesperson  who  represents  it.  Because  of  the  irritability 
of  her  mental  outlook,  when  she  enters  the  store  she  expects 
to  receive  poor  service ;  she  is  prepared  to  resent  it,  and  if  she 
fails  to  receive  it,  will  still  remain  querulous.  Her  request 
to  be  shown  any  particular  goods  is  usually  made  in  a  com- 
plaining tone  of  voice.  When  the  article  asked  for  is  sub- 
mitted for  her  approval  she  carefully  inspects  it  in  search  of 
faults  or  flaws.  If  no  blemish  can  be  discovered  in  its  quality 
or  style  then  she  either  says,  "This  isn't  the  thing  I  want," 
or  she  begins  to  question  the  price,  the  size,  or  what  not.  No 
matter  what  might  be  shown  her  she  would  still  have  some 
complaint  to  make  and  under  no  circumstances  would  she 
express  her  complete  satisfaction. 

§  1 66.     The  Handling  of  the  Querulous  Shopper 

It  is  human  nature  to  feel  impatient  with  this  type  of  cus- 
tomer and  to  experience  a  lively  desire  to  give  her  a  good  shak- 
ing. This  is  obviously  an  emotion  that  the  salesperson  should 
severely  restrain.  Often  the  clerk  who  starts  out  with  an 
earnest  desire  to  please  reveals  indifference  to  the  require- 
ments of  such  a  customer  before  the  sale  is  completed  and 
forgets  that  polite  attention  to  a  customer's  whims  should  in 
all  circumstances  be  the  distinguishing  mark  of  the  efficient 
salesperson. 

This  type  of  customer  can  be  successfully  catered  to  if 
it  is  remembered  that  her  mental  attitude  toward  the  store 
and  its  employees  is  not  personal,  but  is  her  usual  demeanor 
to  mankind  at  large.     Therefore  no  resentment  should  be  re- 


CHARACTERISTIC   RETAIL   TYPES  i^g 

vealed  at  her  querulous  criticisms ;  on  the  contrary  her  whims 
must  be  patiently  attended  to  as  forming  part  of  the  day's 
work.  All  criticism  should  be  met  with  a  courteous  manner 
and  without  any  open  contradiction.  Prompt  and  intelligent 
answers  should  be  given  to  questions,  but  without  volunteer- 
ing information  unless  desired.  The  salesperson  should  make 
only  such  comments  as,  "This  color  matches  your  sample  ex- 
actly, Madam,"  or  "This  is  a  new  kind  of  cretonne,"  or  "This 
serge  will  wear  well  and  does  not  shine  readily  .  .  ,  ."  No 
direct  suggestions  should  be  made  as  to  what  the  shopper 
ought  to  buy.  It  will  sufBce  if  the  features  of  the  goods  are 
explained  without  any  attempt  to  influence  her  in  her  de- 
cision. Any  advice  proffered  invariably  arouses  impatience 
and  a  desire  to  run  directly  opposite  to  it — simply  out  of  con- 
trariness. 

The  foregoing  analysis,  of  course,  presents  an  extreme 
case.  The  type  varies  from  the  extreme  whom  nothing  can 
please,  to  the  much  milder  type  who  is  merely  slightly  queru- 
lous and  whose  manner  is  occasionally  illumined  with  moments 
of  reasonableness.  One  and  all,  however,  offer  an  un- 
rivaled opportunity  to  school  one's  self  in  the  art  of  perfect 
self-control.  If  the  salesperson  refrains  from  revealing  the 
slightest  impatience  and  shows  that  even  the  patronage  of  the 
customer  who  is  crotchety  and  hard  to  please  is  appreciated  by 
the  store,  if  a  willingness  is  also  revealed  to  show  everything 
in  stock  that  in  any  way  suits  her  requirements,  even  a  custom- 
er of  extreme  mental  irritability  will  begin  to  feel  that  at 
last  she  has  discovered  that  ideal  salesperson  who  really  "un- 
derstands her,"  and  then  the  sale  will  be  made.  What  is 
more,  many  repeat  orders  will  probably  follow. 

§  167.     The  Irresolute,  Garrulous  Shopper 

This  type  of  woman  loves  to  shop.  She  is  happy  in 
wandering  through  department  stores  looking  for  bargains. 


Ijo  IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

She  may  start  her  day's  trip  with  a  list  of  half  a  dozen  things 
required  and  return  home  with  a  score  or  more  of  purchases 
to  her  credit — if  she  can  afford  such  expenditure.  Because  she 
enjoys  the  excitement  of  shopping  she  does  not  readily  come 
to  a  decision,  although  she  quickly  reveals  enthusiasm  when 
anything  is  shown  that  is  to  her  liking.  When,  however, 
the  salesman  gets  out  his  sales  slip  preparatory  to  taking  her 
order  she  begins  to  wonder  whether  something  she  inspected 
elsewhere  would  not  be  better  for  her  purpose.  The  more 
articles  she  has  to  choose  from,  the  more  difficult  it  becomes 
for  her  to  make  up  her  mind ;  yet  she  will  continue  to  inspect 
things  as  long  as  the  salesman  is  willing  to  pile  them  on  the 
counter. 

The  salesman  who  leaves  the  decision  wholly  to  this  type 
of  customer  will  spend  many  fruitless  hours  in  searching  for 
just  the  thing  that  will  satisfy  her  whims  in  every  way. 
Wholly  different  tactics  must  be  applied.  Instead  of  allowing 
her  to  decide  of  her  own  free  will,  as  in  the  case  of  the  preced- 
ing example,  tactful  suggestions  must  be  made  to  help  her 
make  up  her  mind,  even  to  the  point  of  telling  her  exactly 
what  she  needs.  To  do  this  she  should  be  questioned  as  to 
the  use  to  which  she  will  put  the  article  she  is  seeking. 

Suppose  a  woman  of  this  type  enters  a  dry-goods  store 
and  asks  to  see  some  cretonne.  The  salesman  immediately 
places  several  designs  on  the  counter  and  notices  whether  a 
large  or  small  pattern  attracts  the  shopper's  attention.  He 
also  observes  which  colors  seem  to  please  her  most.  With 
these  two  points  decided  he  will  be  able  to  concentrate  her 
attention  on  certain  patterns  when  the  time  to  close  the  sale 
arrives.  By  asking  how  the  cretonne  is  to  be  used  and  what 
colors  predominate  in  the  room  where  it  is  to  be  hung,  the 
salesman  limits  the  number  of  patterns  that  need  to  be 
shown. 

When  these'  points  are  decided  he  can  become  more  definite 


CHARACTERISTIC    RETAIL   TYPES 


151 


and  positive  in  his  suggestions.  He  decides  that  certain  pat- 
terns while  charming  are  not  suited  for  her  particular  purpose 
and  so  he  removes  them  from  sight.  When  the  choice  finally 
rests  with  half  a  dozen  patterns  and  the  customer  still  remains 
imdecided,  the  salesman  takes  up  the  one  which  in  design  and 
color  seemed  most  to  appeal  to  her  at  first  and  says,  "All 
things  considered,  Madam,  this  is  the  one  pattern  for  your 
purpose.  You  say  it  is  to  be  used  with  a  north  light,  so  you 
must  of  course  have  something  with  gold  in  it.  As  it  is  for 
your  daughter's  room  you  want  something  dainty,  and  this 
certainly  is  dainty.  This  exactly  fills  the  bill,  and  you  could 
not  find  anything  better  if  made  for  you.  " 

Here  he  should  sweep  all  the  other  patterns  to  one  side, 
continuing,  "Just  notice  how  effective  it  looks  in  the  length. 
Isn't  it  charming?  And  it  is  a  design  that  you  never  tire  of. 
The  color  will  blend  with  all  other  colors,  in  any  light.  How 
many  yards  did  you  say  you  required?" 

The  shopper  may  agree  with  the  salesman  but  still  add: 
"Yes,  I  like  that  but  let  me  look  at  the  other  patterns  again." 

To  this  the  salesman  may  reply,  "With  pleasure.  Madam, 
but  I  should  be  sorry  to  see  you  select  anything  but  the  one 
in  front  of  you,  for  this,  in  my  opinion,  is  much  more  suitable. 
No  other  pattern  has  these  delicate  gold  stripes  and  that  is 
just  what  sets  off  a  room  with  a  north  light." 

Her  possible  reply  may  be:  "Yes,  perhaps  you  are  right. 
How  much  did  you  say  this  was?" 

"Two  dollars  a  yard.  Madam.     And  how  many  yards?" 

"I  think  I  shall  need  about  twelve." 

"Twelve  yards  of  this  will  cost  you  $24,  Madam.  Where 
shall  I  send  it?" 

Thus  the  sale  is  closed.  The  indecision  of  a  buyer  of 
this  type  is  often  due  to  lack  of  confidence  in  her  own  judg- 
ment. The  saleman's  positive  assurance  supplies  the  courage 
needed  to  make  the  expenditure. 


152 


IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


§  i68.     Summary 

The  two  foregoing  types  of  retail  shoppers  are  presented 
because  they  afford  contrasting  methods  of  treatment.  When 
handling  the  irritable,  querulous  woman  shopper  the  method 
and  manner  of  the  salesperson  must,  as  we  have  seen,  be  one 
of  quiet  and  tactful  self-effacement.  When  serving  an  ir- 
resolute type  of  person  who  finds  it  difficult  to  make  up  her 
mind,  the  salesperson  must  try  to  take  command  of  the  situa- 
tion. This  can  be  done,  first  by  asking  adroit  questions  which 
will  reveal  the  tastes  and  preferences  of  the  shopper  and  then, 
by  means  of  suggestion  and  recommendation,  she  can  be  helped 
to  come  to  a  definite  decision. 

The  salesperson  who  can  handle  both  these  types  success- 
fully will  be  able  to  serve  intelligently  and  tactfully  almost  any 
kind  of  customer  who  is  hard  to  please.  Having  acquired  the 
art  of  handling  the  most  difficult  types  no  trouble  will  be  ex- 
perienced in  serving  satisfactorily  the  average  reasonable 
shopper. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
OBJECTIONS  AND  HOW  TO  ANSWER  THEM 

§  169.     Meeting  Objections  a  Necessary  Study 

While  the  salesman  is  explaining  the  advantages  of  the 
offer  in  minute  detail,  the  buyer  as  a  rule  is  carefully  .weigh- 
ing its  disadvantages  from  his  point  of  view  and  is  sUently 
thinking  of  reasons  why  he  should  not  buy.  Therefore  a 
sale  of  any  importance  is  rarely  made  without  the  customer 
raising  several  objections.  In  finding  clever  and  convincing 
replies  for  these  more  or  less  unreasonable  objections,  the 
mettle  of  the  salesman  is  put  often  to  a  severe  test  of  mental 
alertness  and  tactful  pertinacity.  A  man  may  have  aU  the 
requisites  of  appearance,  manners,  courage,  enthusiasm,  and 
knowledge  of  his  goods ;  but  if  he  is  nonplused  when  he  meets 
with  any  objection  which  may  spring  from  a  purely  personal 
cause,  or  may.  be  merely  an  excuse  advanced  for  not  buying, 
a  large  percentage  of  possible  sales  will  be  lost. 

When  any  difificulty  is  experienced  in  obtaining  an  inter- 
view, an  argumentative  debate  which  will  call  forth  all  the  re- 
sourceful reasoning  power  of  the  salesman  may  be  safely 
looked  forward  to.  The  fact  that  the  prospect  grants  the 
interview  reluctantly  indicates  that  he  knows  little  about  the 
goods  or  else  that  he  does  not  think  they  will  be  of  any  special 
use  to  him.  When  in  the  presence  of  such  a  customer  the 
salesman  must  be  primed  to  meet  every  conceivable  kind  of 
objection.  To  equip  himself  so  that  he  can  surmount  these 
obstacles  he  should  make  a  practice  of  listing  the  different 
reasons  which  buyers  advance  against  buying.     Then  in  his 

153 


^CA  IN    CONTACT   WITH    THE   CUSTOMER 

moments  of  leisure  he  can  construct  carefully  reasoned  replies 
and  study  the  art  of  presenting  these  replies  in  an  effective 
way. 

There  is  one  way  of  meeting  an  objection  which  is  better 
than  another  nearly  always,  and  a  third  way  which  is  best  of 
all.  When  the  salesman  knows  that  he  is  prepared  to  answer 
with  a  reasoned  reply  every  argument  against  buying,  however 
trivial  or  irrelevant  these  arguments  may  be,  confidence  in 
his  own  argumentative  powers  increases.  Confidence,  as  we 
shall  see  later,  is  the  secret  of  courage  and  courage  alone 
leads  to  the  higher  flights  of  salesmanship. 

§  170.     Never  Openly  Contradict  the  Buyer 

Before  we  analyze  the  most  common  reasons  which  are 
advanced  against  buying  and  study  the  best  way  of  meeting 
these  objections,  it  is  well  to  consider  the  salesman's  attitude 
when  he  is  compelled  to  contradict  the  buyer.  To  do  this  in 
a  way  which  will  in  no  way  interfere  with  the  amicable  rela- 
tions necessary  for  making  a  sale,  requires  tact  in  a  high  de- 
gree coupled  with  good  humor  and  perfect  self-control.  If 
the  salesman  betrays  by  the  tone  of  his  voice  that  the  objection 
irritates  him;  if  beneath  an  appearance  of  outward  calm  the 
buyer  can  see  that  the  salesman  is  nettled ;  then  the  chance  of 
doing  business  diminishes  at  once.  The  only  way  in  which  the 
salesman  can  keep  complete  command  over  his  irritation  when 
an  obviously  foolish  or  trivial  objection  is  raised  is  to  maintain 
and  show  his  good  humor. 

Behind  both  tact  and  good  humor  there  must  also  be  a 
quiet  persistence,  a  steady  determination  to  refuse  to  listen 
to  anything  excepting  a  downright  "No."  To  reveal  this 
kind  of  calm  persistence  the  salesman  must  be  able  to  answer 
every  kind  of  objection.  The  refusal  to  buy  may  be  a  serious 
reason  or  a  trivial  excuse.  Whatever  the  objection  he  must 
convince  the  customer  of  its  futility  by  the  logic  of  reasoning. 


HOW   TO   ANSWER   OBJECTIONS  1 55 

A  salesman  rather  courts  an  objection  which  he  can  meet 
effectively.  Only  an  objection  at  which  he  is  nonplused,  which 
he  is  incapable  of  refuting,  produces  an  irritating  effect. 

§  171.     The  Mental  Indecision  of  the  Buyer 

Let  us  assume  that  an  interview  has  been  granted,  that 
the  proposition  has  been  explained,  and  that  the  customer  dis- 
plays interest  without  raising  any  serious  objections  to  the 
offer.  It  is  then  logical  that  he  should  express  his  willing- 
ness to  buy;  yet  he  refuses  for  a  trivial  reason  which  may 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  proposition.  To  what  can  this 
refusal  be  due?  Obviously  to  mental  indecision  and  not  to 
any  lack  of  merit  in  the  goods  or  service. 

This  indecision  may  be  due  to  caution,  to  the  habit  of 
procrastinating,  to  an  inability  to  make  up  his  mind,  or  it  may 
be  .due  to  circumstances  which  relate  to  the  customer's  business 
and  of  which  the  salesman  is  necessarily  ignorant.  It  is  im- 
portant to  study  the  art  of  handling  the  undecided,  cautious, 
or  procrastinating  buyers.  Experience  shows  that  they  form 
the  majority  of  those  who  turn  down  a  sales  offer  for  a  more 
or  less  trivial  reason. 

§  172.     Two  Kinds  of  Objections 

It  will  help  the  salesman  to  meet  the  objections  that  are 
usually  raised  if  he  will  distinguish  between  them.  As  a  rule 
they  belong  to  either  one  of  two  classes. 

First  there  are  the  honest  objections.  Here  the  customer 
is  sincere  in  his  attitude.  He  believes  that  for  the  reason 
alleged  he  cannot  afford  to  take  advantage  of  the  offer.  A 
buyer  may  raise  the  objection  that  he  has  sufficient  stock  on 
hand  and  really  cannot  entertain  the  thought  of  buying  more 
at  the  present  time.  This  may  be  a  perfectly  honest 
answer. 

Objections  of  the  second  class  are  much  more  frequent  and 


156 


IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


they  differ  from  honest  reasons  for  not  buying,  in  that  they 
are  usually  trivial  excuses  for  procrastinating.  The  buyer 
may  be  passively  interested  and  may  even  in  a  half-hearted 
way  consider  taking  advantage  of  the  offer.  But  because  of 
an  innate  tendency  to  procrastinate  or  a  dislike  to  make  the 
necessary  expenditure,  he  temporizes.  Not  wishing  to  be 
discourteous  by  openly  and  bluntly  stating  that  he  has  no 
intention  of  buying  he  raises  objections  of  various  kinds  to 
hide  his  real  motive. 

Sometimes  the  buyer  fails  to  become  interested  in  the  offer 
because  the  salesman  has  not  yet  been  given  an  opportunity 
to  explain  its  advantages  clearly.  An  excuse  is  then  proffered 
as  a  reason  for  dismissing  the  salesman  such  as,  "I  am  too 
busy  to  decide  today,"  or  "I  have  no  money  to  spend." 

Another  kind  of  excuse  or  reason  for  not  buying  is  that 
frequently  raised  when  competitive  goods  are  being  sold.  The 
object  in  this  case  is  to  secure  a  slight  reduction  in  price  or 
a  larger  discount  than  usual.  A  typical  objection  of  this  kind 
is  "I  can  buy  at  a  better  price  from  so  and  so."  In  most  cases 
the  salesman  will  be  able  to  make  a  fairly  shrewd  guess  as  to 
whether  the  objection  raised  is  sincere  and  honest  or  is  only 
an  excuse ;  or  again  as  to  whether  it  is  an  effort  to  beat  down 
his  price. 

§  173.     Answering  Objections  and  Excuses 

Honest  objections  must  be  answered  by  earnest,  convinc- 
ing reasoning.  If  the  reply  is  not  sufficiently  convincing  to 
refute  the  objection  or  to  convince  the  buyer  of  his  error,  then 
its  existence  must  be  acknowledged;  but  it  must,  if  possible, 
be  immediately  offset  by  compensating  advantages. 

Excuses  are  best  answered  by  means  of  gentle  ridicule, 
the  object  being  to  turn  the  excuse  into  a  reason  for  buying, 
as  will  be  shown  later ;  or  if  the  excuses  are  obviously  trivial 
and  raised  merely  because  the  customer  has  not  yet  been  "sold" 


HOW   TO   ANSWER   OBJECTIONS 


157 


on  the  proposition,  they  may  be  ignored  as  of  no  importance, 
and  the  argument  adhered  to  with  the  hope  tliat  as  the  custom- 
er listens  to  the  advantages  of  the  proposition  he  will  shelve 
the  objections  formerly  raised.  The  policy  in  such  a  case 
should  be  to  stimulate  his  lukewarm  desire  with  a  little  of 
the  salesman's  own  enthusiasm  until  a  willingness  is  expressed 
to  accept  the  offer.  This  is  often  a  much  sounder  method 
than  to  try  to  break  down  the  comparatively  trivial  opposi- 
tion that  is  represented  by  an  excuse. 

Objections  for  the  purpose  of  securing  better  prices  or 
terms,  as  explained  in  Chapter  XVII,  should  be  firmly  handled 
if  the  salesman's  experience  is  that  his  prices  in  the  majority 
of  cases  arouse  no  criticism.  No  matter  how  important  the 
buyer  may  be,  he  should  not  be  allowed  to  beat  down  the 
price  of  an  offer  as  a  condition  of  his  patronage. 

§  174.     Meeting  Objections  as  to  Quality 

The  most  common  honest  objections  are  those  relating  to 
quality  or  prices.  The  goods  offered  are  said  to  be  inferior 
in  quality  or  higher  in  price  than  those  of  competitors. 

In  combating  the  assertion  that  the  goods  are  inferior  to 
others  in  quality  the  salesman  should  frankly  admit  the  good 
points  of  competing  goods  and  then  contrast  them  with  points 
in  favor  of  his  own.  As  emphasized  in  Chapter  XlII,  such 
comparisons  should  be  made  only  when  the  subject  is  broached 
by  the  customer.  If  the  salesman  cannot  refute  or  explain 
away  some  obvious  defect  or  deficiency  in  his  own  goods;  or 
if  he  must  admit  that  those  of  a  competitor  are  undeniably 
superior —  well — under  these  circumstances  he  is  representing 
the  wrong  house  or  pushing  the  wrong  kind  of  merchandise 
and  the  remedy  is  obvious. 

Objections  or  disparaging  comments  upon  quality  are 
sometimes  presented  without  any  reference  to  competing  lines. 
These  remarks  must  be  squarely  met.     Any  obvious  deficiency 


1^8  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE  CUSTOMER 

ill  the  goods  should  be  admitted,  as  when  shop-worn  articles 
or  "seconds"  are  offered  which  are  likely  to  call  forth  objec- 
tions as  to  quality.  When  a  customer  knows  that  the  sales- 
man is  carefully  refraining  from  exaggerating  the  quality  of 
the  goods  these  are  considered  less  critically  and  with  their 
cost  price  in  mind. 

Every  customer  naturally  wants  to  combine  the  maximum 
of  quality  with  the  minimum  price.  Goods  of  an  inferior 
grade  may  still  be  an  attractive  offer  at  the  right  price.  The 
"best"  quality  and  the  "lowest"  price,  however,  are  obviously 
opposing  terms,  and  an  offer  which  professes  to  combine  the 
two  only  irritates  the  intelligent  buyer.  A  customer  is  more 
readily  convinced  of  the  unreasonableness  of  any  objections 
as  to  quality,  if  no  extravagant  claims  are  made  as  to  the  grade 
of  the  merchandise  offered. 

§  175.     Meeting  Objections  as  to  Price 

Objections  raised  as  to  price  are  the  most  frequent  of  all 
honest  reasons  for  refusing  to  buy.  Many  factors  need  to  be 
known  and  considered  in  order  to  answer  an  objection  of 
this  kind  effectively.  The  salesman  who  finds  that  this  rea- 
son for  refusing  his  offer  is  frequently  raised  will,  of  course, 
be  furnished  by  his  house  with  the  most  effective  replies  that 
the  circumstances  of  the  case  permit. 

Objection  is  often  made  to  the  price,  not  from  the  view- 
point of  value,  but  because  it  is  more  than  the  customer  can 
afford  to  pay.  This  objection  is  frequently  heard  in  a  retail 
store.  The  goods  are  too  expensive  and  the  customer  can 
afford  only  something  of  a  cheaper  grade.  It  rests  with  the 
salesperson  to  convince  the  shopper  that  the  expensive  article, 
if  it  is  a  thing  to  be  worn  or  used,  will  prove  more  economical 
than  the  cheaper  grade  in  the  end;  or  if  it  is  an  article  with 
a  style  appeal,  that  the  additional  satisfaction  afforded  by  Its 
appearance  will  more  than  compensate  for  the  higher  price. 


HOW   TO   ANSWER   OBJECTIONS  159 

When  the  customer  cannot  be  convinced  by  such  arguments 
as  these,  something  at  a  lower  price  must  be  offered. 

Having  considered  the  stock  objections  as  to  quahty  and 
price  in  broad  outHne,  let  us  now  consider  more  specific  ob- 
jections in  detail. 

§  176.     "We  Are  Stocked  Up  to  the  Limit" 

This  is  a  refrain  that  from  time  to  time  is  heard  in  every 
wholesale  warehouse  and  in  every  retail  store.  Occasionally 
it  is  offered  as  an  excuse  to  get  rid  of  the  salesman.  Fre- 
quently it  is  the  truth.  If  that  is  the  case  the  reply  may  be 
as  follows: 

"I  didn't  expect  to  call  and  find  you  out  of  stock,  Mr. 
Brown.  With  an  article  like  this  in  every-day  demand  you 
must  keep  a  good  supply  on  hand.  Sooner  or  later,  I  hope 
much  sooner  than  you  think — as  I  like  to  hear  of  quick  turn- 
overs— you  will  be  in  the  market  again.  So  I've  called  to 
explain  my  proposition  and  show  you  it's  to  your  interest 
to  consider  stocking  my  line  just  as  soon  as  you  can  .  .  .  ." 

In  this  way  the  selling  talk  is  again  introduced  and  the 
mind  of  the  customer  is  switched  back  to  the  original  train 
of  thought  which  may  lead  to  a  sale  in  spite  of  his  complete 
line  of  stock. 

§  177.     "We   Are   Well    Satisfied    With    Our    Present    Con- 
nections" 

This  disconcerting  reply  is  frequently  a  stumbling  block 
to  the  inexperienced  salesman.  The  objection,  however,  is 
not  a  difficult  one  to  meet.  The  obvious  answer  is  that  the 
salesman  is  not  calling  to  ask  for  a  break  to  be  made  with 
present  connections;  his  mission  is  to  convince  the  buyer  that 
it  will  be  advantageous  to  add  a  new  connection.  So  he 
replies: 

"I  am  glad  of  that.  Mr.  Brown.     The  firm  you  are  dealing 


l6o  IN    CONTACT    WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

with  is  a  very  good  house,  but  you  misunderstand  me  if  you 
think  I  have  come  to  ask  you  to  break  your  present  connec- 
tion. No.  All  that  I  ask  is  that  you  make  a  new  one — one 
that  in  every  way  will  be  just  as  satisfactory  to  you  as  your 
present  connection." 

Here  the  salesman  may  direct  the  attention  to  those  samples 
of  goods  which  compete  least  of  all  with  those  of  the  rival 
house.  Or  if  the  purchase  of  the  new  lines  involves  the  throw- 
ing out  of  a  competing  line,  then  the  suggestion  may  be  made 
that  the  two  lines  be  sold  together  so  that  a  comparison  as 
to  profit  and  demand  can  be  made. 

If  the  salesman  has  the  good  fortune  to  represent  a  house 
which  is  the  leader  in  its  line  or  which  has  an  unrivaled  repu- 
tation for  some  of  the  goods  it  manufactures,  then  the  de- 
sirability of  profiting  from  the  good-will  and  reputation  en- 
joyed by  "the  house  will  naturally  be  suggested  to  the  dealer. 
To  handle  a  well-known  line  with  a  national  reputation  is 
an  asset  in  any  retail  business,  and  no  dealer  can  afTord  to 
ignore  the- best  products  of  a  particular  line  because  he  has 
already  made  another  connection. 

§  178.     "No  Room  for  a  New  Line" 

The  department  store  buyer  or  the  big  retailer  can  afford 
to  carry  a  wide  range  of  brands  and  yet  always  find  room  for 
a  really  salable  line ;  the  dealer  with  only  a  moderate  amount 
of  capital  to  invest  in  stock  must  pick  and  choose  with 
care  among  the  numerous  brands  offered  to  him.  Thus  the 
small  retail  merchant  who  is  harassed  daily  by  competing 
salesmen  ofifering  almost  duplicate  goods  frequently  raises 
the  objection  that  he  has  no  room  for  a  new  line. 

One  way  of  meeting  this  objection  is  to  remind  the  dealer 
that  the  greatest  danger  to  sound  storekeeping  is  a  collection 
of  unsalable  stock  which  fills  valuable  space,  ties  up  capital. 
and  eats  into  profits.     Of  course,  to  state  this  fact  bluntly 


HOW   TO   ANSWER  OBJECTIONS  i6l 

would  be  to  reflect  upon  the  buying  and  storekeeping  ability 
of  the  dealer  and  then  all  hope  of  introducing  a  new  line 
would  vanish.  It  can,  however,  be  done  tactfully — somewhat 
like  this; 

"Mr.  Brown,  every  merchant,  no  matter  how  careful  he 
may  be  and  how  clever  a  buyer,  has  some  lines  in  his  store 
which  don't  sell  well  and  which  don't  earn  a  fair  return  on 
the  investment.  They  take  up  space  which  could  be  much 
more  profitably  used  for  more  popular  goods  with  a  quicker 
turnover. 

"Now  you're  a  progressive  merchant.  You  don't  handle 
the  same  lines  year  in  and  year  out.  You  close  out  one  or 
two  lines  every  now  and  then  and  replace  them  with  others. 

"Mr.  Brown,  I've  tried  to  show  you  how  it  will  pay  you 
to  close  out  some  of  those  lines  which  move  slowly  and  put 
this  in  their  place  and  you've  acknowledged  the  profit  is  at- 
tractive and  they're  likely  to  prove  good  sellers.  So  .  .  .  ." 
— and  after  a  little  more  selling  talk  an  attempt  is  again  made 
to  introduce  the  new  line. 

The  objection  of  the  storekeeper  that  he  is  all  stocked  up 
or  hasn't  room  for  a  new  line  may  be  an  excuse.  It  can 
then  be  effectively  met  by  ignoring  it  rather  than  by  replying, 
"Well,  you  could  probably  use  a  little  more" — in  an  inquiring 
tone.  Such  a  reply  is  obviously  weak  since  the  salesman  can- 
not possibly  form  an  accurate  opinion  about  the  dealer's  needs. 
When  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  this  objection  is  real, 
it  can  be  met  by  the  assertion  that  the  salesman  wants  to 
explain  the  merits  of  his  offer  for  the  prospect's  future  ad- 
vantage. If  the  dealer  reveals  no  impatience  but  apparently 
seems  interested  in  the  sales  talk,  another  attempt  to  introduce 
the  new  line  can  be  made  as  if  no  objection  had  been  raised. 
If  the  dealer  still  remains  obdurate  and  positively  asserts  that 
he  has  no  room  for  a  new  line,  the  only  course  left  is  to  try 
to  obtain  a  small  order  "just  for  a  trial." 


l62  IN    CONTACT    WITH    THE   CUSTOMER 

§  179.     Meeting  the  Pessimistic  Mood 

Such  objections  as  "business  is  too  quiet,"  or  "times  are 
bad,"  are  frequently  raised  by  cautious  and  pessimistic  buyers, 
who  as  soon  as  a  period  of  business  depression  sets  in,  "run 
to  cover,"  To  contradict  such  a  customer  flatly  by  telling 
the  speaker  his  pessimism  is  not  well  founded  is  tactless,  as 
a  man  of  this  type  usually  resents  direct  contradiction  of 
his  pessimistic  mood.  Moreover  such  an  assertion  lays  the 
salesman  open  to  the  obvious  charge  of  self-interest. 

When  confronted  with  a  pessimistic  buyer  the  salesman 
should  agree  that  trade  is  poor  and  then  turn  the  admission 
to  his  favor  in  this  way.  "When  business  is  quiet,  Mr.  Brown, 
it  is  essential  that  something  be  done  to  better  it.  This  propo- 
sition offers  you  an  exclusive  advantage  over  your  competitors 
and  is  one  of  the  best  things  you  can  do  to  improve  your  busi- 
ness.    For  these  reasons  .  .  .  ." 

A  self-registering  scale  salesman  meets  the  objection  that 
"times  are  bad  and  I  really  can't  afford  it,"  in  this  way: 
"When  times  are  hard,  Mr.  Brown,  it's  up  to  all  of  us  to 
practice  the  most  rigid  economy.  One  of  the  best  ways  of 
effecting  economies  in  business  is  to  stop  the  little  leaks  which 
are  not  easily  detected,  but  which  amount  to  a  lot  in  the  course 
of  a  year.  This  scale  will  stop  many  of  these  leaks.  It  is 
the  best  kind  of  economy  to  invest  in  for  use  in  your  store." 

§  180.     Objections  on  the  Score  of  Taste 

Matters  of  taste  should  never  be  questioned.  Most  of  the 
objections  offered  by  retail  customers  are  of  this  nature.  The 
woman  shopper  says  that  she  does  not  like  this  color  or  that 
style  and  prefers  something  else  which  the  store  may  not  be 
able  to  supply.  It  is  useless  in  these  circumstances  to  attempt 
to  prove  that  the  article  which  does  not  meet  with  approval 
is  really  equal  to  that  which  is  preferred.  The  only  course 
is  to  offer  the  customer  the  best  alternative  choice. 


HOW   TO   ANSWER   OBJECTIONS  163 

§  181.     Combating  a  Positive  Statement  That  is  Erroneous 

When  an  erroneous  statement  is  based  on  a  wrong  premise 
the  error  should  be  pointed  out.  This  may  be  an  incorrect 
statement  as  when  a  customer  says,  "I  don't  think  this  will 
wear  well."  This  objection  can  be  answered  by  describing 
the  nature  of  the  material  out  of  which  the  garment  is  made 
and  the  reasons  why  it  will  wear. . 

Retail  customers  are  often  unreasonable  in  the  objection? 
they  raise  as  to  price  and  not  infrequently  are  mistaken  in 
the  assertion,  "Your  price  is  too  high."  If  so  the  assertion 
should  be  tactfully  contradicted — as  in  the  following  example. 

A  lady  presented  a  prescription  at  a  drug  store  and  asked 
how  much  it  would  cost  to  fill  it. 

"Seventy-five  cents,"  was  the  reply. 

"Why,  I  had  it  filled  up  the  road  for  50  cents,"  she  ex- 
claimed. 

The  salesman  answered:  "In  having  this  prescription 
filled  by  us,  Madam,  you  may  be  absolutely  sure  that  it  will 
contain  exactly  what  the  doctor  orders.  We  check  every  pre- 
scription over  twice.  Two  different  men  handle  it  so  that 
there  is  no  possibility  of  making  a  mistake.  If  a  drug  is  not 
fresh  and  up  to  strength  we  reject  it,  even  if  this  entails  a 
heavy  loss.  The  drugs  we  use  are  the  best  procurable  for 
the  price.  This  means  that  they  are  of  the  strength  that  the 
doctor  expects  them  to  be.  A  cheap  prescription  which  is  not 
what  the  doctor  intends,  you  will  admit  is  often  money  thrown 
away.  In  view  of  this  service  our  price  is  only  a  fair  one 
and  I  believe  that  is  the  reason  why  the  doctor  asked  you  to 
come  to  us." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  such  a  statement  as  this  the  fact 
as  to  the  price  being  high  is  neither  admitted  nor  even  referred 
to.  Instead  the  salesman  offsets  "low  price"  with  quality 
and  alludes  to  his  price  as  "fair."  To  meet  an  objection 
obliquely  in  this  way  is  often  the  most  effective  method.     The 


164 


IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


new  train  of  thought  aroused  by  the  new  sales  argument  will 
often  lead  the  customer  to  forget  his  earlier  ground  of  op- 
position. 

§  182.     The  Objection  of  the  Disgruntled  Customer 

Sometimes  for  one  reason  or  another  a  customer  is  of- 
fended at  treatment  received  from  the  house  on  some  former 
occasion  and  vents  his  spleen  on  the  salesman.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  only  course  may  be  to  ask  the  customer  to 
state  the  nature  of  his  complaint.  If  it  is  reasonable  the 
salesman  should  undertake  to  see  that  the  firm  makes  proper 
amends;  if  unreasonable  the  customer  must  be  tactfully  led 
to  look  at  the  matter  from  the  other  fellow's  point  of  view. 
If  he  will  once  admit  that  his  grievance  is  really  not  based 
on  logical  grounds  it  will  vanish.  Not  infrequently  the  custom- 
er who  is  reasonable  at  heart  will  concede  when  confronted 
in  this  way  that  his  attitude  has  been  needlessly  resentful, 
though  it  does  not  follow  that  this  admission  will  lead  to  an 
order. 

A  salesman  representing  a  packing  house  accepted  the 
order  of  the  retailer  in  a  small  town,  but  as  he  was  severing 
his  connection  with  the  firm  employing  him  he  carelessly 
neglected  the  order  in  many  details.  The  firm  made  amends 
for  the  neglect,  but  these  failed  to  satisfy  the  dealer.  When 
a  new  salesman  called  on  this  customer  he  was  met  with  abuse 
and  the  assertion  "I  don't  believe  in  your  firm." 

After  patiently  listening  to  the  dealer's  grievances  the  sales- 
man explained  that  as  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  order 
and  as  the  firm  now  considered  the  matter  closed  he  could 
do  nothing  to  obtain  redress.  On  his  next  round  a  month  later 
he  again  called  on  the  dealer,  and  chatted  for  a  while  in  a 
friendly  way.  The  same  thing  happened  the  next  month  and 
so  on  for  more  than  a  year.  Frequently  the  salesman  gave 
the  dealer  some  valuable  business  information  picked  up  on 


HOW   TO   ANSWER  OBJECTIONS  165 

his  rounds.  Finally  after  a  dozen  calls  during  none  of  which 
was  the  question  of  an  order  once  raised,  the  dealer  said  to  the 
salesman,  "Why  do  you  trouble  to  call  on  me?  You  never 
solicit." 

"No,"  was  the  answer,  "you  told  me  the  first  time  you 
saw  me  that  you  didn't  believe  in  my  concern  and  I  certainly 
won't  ask  you  to  buy  goods  of  a  concern  you  don't  believe  in." 

"Yes,  I  used  to  feel  pretty  sore  against  your  firm,"  replied 
the  dealer,  "but  I  can't  help  thinking  that  if  all  you  men  stay 
with  it  as  you  do,  it  must  be  a  good  concern  to  work  for  and 
a  good  house  to  trade  with.  I've  got  a  small  order  for  you 
today  if  you  want  to  take  it." 

The  salesman  had  been  patiently  waiting  for  this  oppor- 
tunity. When  he  left  the  store  with  his  order  he  had  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  his  persistence  had  resulted  in 
transforming  what  is  usually  described  as  a  "knocker"  into 
that  most  valuable  of  all  assets  among  customers — a  "booster." 


CHAPTER    XVII 

EXCUSES    AND    HOW    TO    MEET    THEM 

§  183.     Introductory 

In  every  sale  the  customer  is  pulled  two  ways.  He  ap- 
preciates the  advantage  of  the  offer  and  would  like  to  profit 
from  it;  but  he  dislikes  making  the  expenditure  because  a 
lingering  doubt  remains  as  to  whether  he  will  not  regret  it 
later.  If  he  has  no  serious  objections  to  raise  he  temporizes 
with  an  excuse. 

When  the  salesman  has  failed  to  pull  the  customer  suf- 
ficiently far  along  the  road  that  he  wishes  the  prospect  to 
travel,  he  finds  himself  brought  to  a  halt  when  he  seeks  to 
close  the  sale,  with  one  or  more  of  several  stock  excuses. 
These  are  sometimes  made  with  the  object  of  temporizing 
while  the  customer  makes  up  his  mind  and  need  not  be  taken 
too  seriously.  In  some  cases  they  may  be  turned  into  reasons 
for  making  the  purchase ;  in  others  they  may  be  gently  waived 
aside;  or  they  may  be  ignored  altogether. 

§  184.     "I  Can't  Afford  It" 

The  most  common  of  all  excuses  is  the  one  "I  can't  afford 
it,"  or  "I  haven't  got  the  money."  This  for  obvious  reasons 
is  never  made  by  a  concern  of  any  standing.  If  a  thing  is 
useful  to  a  business  or  if  there  is  any  profit  in  it  the  purchase 
can  be  afforded.  The  course  to  follow  when  the  retail  shopper 
raises  this  objection  has  been  considered  in  the  preceding 
chapter.  Frequently  this  excuse  for  not  buying  is  advanced 
by  the  small  retailer  when  faced  with  what  seems  an  expendi- 
ture disproportionate  to  his  income,  and  in  this  case  it  really 

166 


EXCUSES   AND   HOW   TO   MEET   THEM  167 

means,  "I  don't  think  your  proposition  offers  good  enough 
returns  for  its  cost." 

It  is  obviously  useless  for  the  salesman  to  argue  this  point. 
A  good  course  is  to  reply,  "It  is  natural  for  you  to  think 
you  can't  afford  it,  Mr.  Blank,"  or  perhaps  better  still,  to 
assume  that  the  customer  is  merely  joking,  and  then. proceed 
with  the  selling  appeal  in  an  endeavor  to  make  the  weight  of 
desire  overcome  the  objection. 

§  185.     Examples  of  Meeting  the  Excuse  "I  Can't  Afford  It" 

As  an  example,  a  salesman  was  trying  to  sell  a  check  pro- 
tector to  a  business  man  who  did  not  possess  such  an  article. 
After  some  discussion  the  prospect  said,  "I  can't  afford  one 
at  present."     This  was  obviously  insincere. 

The  salesman  replied,  "Mr.  Brown,  do  you  feel  that  you 
can  afford  your  fire  insurance?" 

"Yes,"  admitted  the  customer. 

"And  yet  do  you  realize  that  your  danger  of  loss  from 
falsified  checks  is  actually  greater  in  business  than  your 
danger  of  loss  from  fire?  This  is  proved  by  statistics.  Now 
for  example,  .  .  ."  and  the  salesman  continued  his  argument. 

An  automobile  salesman  was  finding  it  difficult  to  convince 
a  prospect  that  now  was  the  best  time  to  buy  a  small  motor 
delivery  truck.  The  customer  had  assured  the  salesman  that 
he  intended  to  invest  in  one  as  soon  as  he  could  afford  it 
but  in  the  present  state  of  trade  he  would  have  to  postpone  the 
purchase. 

"Mr.  Jones,"  replied  the  salesman,  "the  question  is  not 
whether  you  can  afford  to  buy  one  of  our  delivery  trucks,  but 
whether  in  these  bad  times  you  can  afford  to  do  without  it. 
You  have  gone  over  these  figures  with  me  and  you  have  seen 
that  you  make  a  saving  of  at  least  $50  a  month  compared 
with  the  present  cost  of  your  three  horses  and  two  wagons. 
You  have  admitted  that  one  of  your  wagons  is  so  out  of 


l68  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE  CUSTOMER 

repair  that  you  will  probably  soon  have  to  replace  it  and  that 
two  of  your  horses  are  over  eighteen  years  old.  Now  tiiese 
horses  are  not  going  to  last  much  longer  and  they  will  need 
to  be  replaced.  At  the  present  price  of  horse  flesh  and  fodder 
you  will  really  be  throwing  good  money  after  bad,  if  you  con- 
tinue to  invest  capital  in  something  that's  going  to  eat  its 
head  off. 

"Now  you've  had  considerable  experience  with  horses  and 
you  know  that  while  a  sound  animal  fetches  a  fair  price,  an 
animal  that  is  defective  in  any  way  goes  for  next  to  nothing. 
Why  not  cash  in  on  the  full  value  of  your  present  equipment 
while  it  is  still  sound  and  make  the  investment  in  a  motor 
truck  nozvf" 

The  excuse  of  not  being  able  to  afford  the  expenditure 
was  thus  turned  into  an  argument  in  favor  of  it.  When  a 
saving  in  expenditure  results  from  the  use  of  anything  or 
where  a  profit  results  from  resale,  the  insincerity  of  this  ex- 
cuse can  always  be  revealed  in  the  way  shown. 

§  1 86.     Offering  Easy  Terms  of  Payment 

The  sincerity  of  the  excuse  that  a  customer  cannot  afford 
the  expenditure  can  also  be  tested  when  easy  terms  of  pay- 
ment are  offered.  Most  concerns  selling  a  high-priced 
specialty  to  people  of  moderate  means  usually  make  conces- 
sions of  this  nature,  because  experience  proves  that  the  ob- 
jection raised  as  to  the  inability  to  pay  the  price  means  in- 
ability to  pay  a  large  sum  at  one  time.  Sales  that  would 
otherwise  be  lost  can  frequently  be  closed  when  it  is  agreed 
that  the  terms  of  payment  shall  be  so  much  on  the  delivery  of 
the  goods  and  the  balance  in  easy  instalments.  Many  ex- 
pensive articles  for  the  home  are  now  sold  in  this  way.  The 
fact  that  a  concern  is  willing  to  accept  payment  by  instal- 
ments, after  the  customer  has  had  an  opportunity  to  inspect  the 
goods,  helps  to  establish  that  confidence  which  is  necessary 


EXCUSES   AND   HOW   TO    MEET   THEM 


169 


for  the  consummation  of  a  sale  in  which  a  relatively  large 
amount  is  involved. 

§  187.     "I'm  Too  Busy  to  Decide  Now" 

This  may  be  a  message  delivered  by  the  of!ice  boy  or  the 
girl  at  the  information  desk  when  the  salesman  is  seeking  an 
interview;  in  this  case  it  can  be  handled  in  the  way  described 
in  Chapter  IX. 

The  phrase  is  sometimes  advanced  at  the  end  of  an  inter- 
view when  the  buyer  pulls  out  his  watch  and  notes  how 
quickly  time  has  been  passing.  As  a  rule  no  man  lacks  the 
time  to  do  business  which  he  knows  will  prove  profitable.  He 
is  in  business  for  that  purpose.  Therefore  when  this  excuse 
is  raised,  the  salesman  may  take  it  that  the  buyer  has  not 
yet  been  convinced  of  the  merits  of  his  of¥er.  The  excuse 
can  often  be  brushed  aside  with  an  assertion  such  as  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"Mr.  Brown,  I  know  I  am  taking  up  a  great  deal  of  your 
time,  but  we  are  both  in  business  to  make  the  best  use  of 
our  time.  You  have  agreed  with  me  that  my  of¥er  must 
prove  advantageous  to  you  in  several  ways,  and  that  it  is 
worth  your  careful  consideration.  No  man  is  too  busy  to 
give  any  business  offer  that  is  to  his  advantage  at  least  ten 
minutes  of  his  attention.  It  will  take  less  than  ten  minutes 
for  me  to  enumerate  exactly  those  features  of  my  proposi- 
tion .  .  .  ,"  or  "It  will  take  less  than  two  minutes  to  draft 
out  an  order  .  .  .  ,"  and  the  salesman  either  works  back  into 
his  sales  talk  or  makes  a  fresh  attempt  to  close. 

§  188.     "Too  Busy  to  Talk  with  You  Now** 

This  excuse  resembles  the  preceding  excuse,  but  dififers 
from  it  in  that  it  is  usually  made  at  the  opening  of  an  inter- 
view especially  when  a  salesman  meets  the  buyer  by  chance. 
The  prospect  has  no  interest  in  the  ofTer  and  is  too  indifTer- 


170 


IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


ent  to  investigate  its  possibilities.  He  therefore  makes  this 
excuse,  which  really  means  "Don't  worry  me  today,  I'm  too 
tired  or  too  lazy  to  bother  with  your  offer."  To  such  an 
excuse  the  salesman  may  briefly  reply  as  follows: 

"I  realize  that  you  are  a  very  busy  man,  Mr.  Brown,  so 
I  will  take  up  only  a  few  moments  of  your  time.  It  will  need 
ten  minutes  to  explain  just  what  my  'proposition  means  to 
you.  If  you'll  give  me  your  close  attention  for  these  few 
minutes  I  shall  be  able  to  prove  that  your  time  has  been  well 
spent." 

Whether  or  not  a  salesman  wins  an  interview  under  these 
circumstances  largely  depends  upon  the  confidence  with  which 
he  presumes  that  it  will  be  granted.  As  explained  in  Chap- 
ter IX,  when  he  meets  a  prospect  on  equal  ground  he  will 
in  all  probability  be  listened  to.  If  he  seeks  an  interview 
apologetically,  as  if  his  offer  were  of  little  importance,  it  will 
receive  scant  consideration. 

§  189.     "I'll  Have  to  Think  It  Over" 

An  excuse  frequently  raised  by  the  procrastinating  type 
of  customer  when  the  time  comes  to  close  the  sale  is  that 
he  wishes  to  have  an  opportunity  to  think  the  matter  over. 
When  this  phrase  is  heard  the  salesman  may  be  sure  that  his 
talk  has  not  been  sufificiently  convincing.  The  prospect  who 
wants  to  think  the  matter  over  very  rarely  buys.  When  left 
to  his  own  train  of  thought  he  will  conjure  up  all  sorts  of 
objections  because  the  offer  has  so  far  been  presented  in  an 
inconclusive  or  indefinite  way.  When  the  salesman  next  calls 
the  opening  greeting  will  probably  be,  "No,  Mr.  Blank,  I 
thank  you  for  your  call,  but  I've  come  to  a  firm  decision  not 
to  buy." 

Consequently  if  the  salesman  is  to  sell  to  the  prospect  who 
says,  "I'll  have  to  think  it  over,"  the  time  to  do  it  is  now.  To 
such  a  remark  the  salesman  should  promptly  reply: 


EXCUSES   AND   HOW   TO   MEET   THEM 


171 


"Now,  Mr.  Jones,  do  you  really  think  there  is  any  need 
to  think  it  over?  Aren't  you  convinced  now?  If  you  are  not 
then  I  am  at  fault  somewhere.  Just  tell  me  the  point  you  are 
still  in  doubt  about." 

The  prospect  will  then  often  acknowledge  that  for  certain 
reasons  he  doesn't  think  the  offer  is  just  what  he  requires. 
The  argument  must  then  be  concentrated  on  removing  the 
particular  objection  from  his  mind — directly  if  possible  or 
else  by  a  powerful  appeal  to  another  buying  motive  which  will 
be  sufficiently  strong  to  make  him  forget  the  reasons  for  his 
wish  to  procrastinate. 

"I'll  have  to  think  it  over"  is  frequently  heard  in  the  mid- 
dle of  an  interview 'when  the  customer  who  only  half  under- 
stands the  offer  suddenly  decides  against  it  and  breaks  in  on 
the  salesman  with  the  above  phrase.  In  such  a  case  the  reply 
may  be: 

"By  all  means,  Mr.  Jones,  I  want  you  to  think  it  over,  but 
in  justice  to  me  and  my  proposition  before  you  think  it  over 
you  ought  to  allow  me  to  make  clear  in  how  many  ways  you 
are  going  to  benefit  from  it  in  your  business.  When  you  do 
clearly  understand  its  benefits  you  may  possibly  think  that  it 
needs  very  little  thinking  'over."  And  so  he  continues  his 
sales  talk. 

§  190.     "Suppose  You  Call  Again" 

An  objection  in  many  respects  analogous  to  the  offer  to 
"think  it  over"  *is  when  the  customer  replies  at  the  close  of 
the  interview,  "Yes,  I'm  interested.  But  suppose  you  call 
again.     I'm  rather  busy  now." 

Such  a  postponement  will  do  no  harm  to  the  wholesale 
salesman  who  may  be  covering  the  same  ground  within  a 
week  or  a  month.  He  can  use  his  present  call  as  a  means  of 
establishing  friendly  relations  by  genially  replying: 

"All  right,  Mr.  Jones,  I  certainly  will  call  again  when 


lyo  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

next  in  town,  because  I  know  if  you  are  not  in  immediate 
need  of  anything  in  my  line  at  present,  you  certainly  will  be 
in  a  week  or  two." 

An  answer  such  as  this,  which  may  be  good  business 
policy  in  the  case  of  a  sale  of  staples,  would  not  do  at  all 
when  selling  a  specialty.  When  confronted  with  this  objec- 
tion the  specialty  salesman  should  candidly  say  to  his  cus- 
tomer : 

"Mr.  Jones,  I'm  a  busy  man  just  as  you  are  and  I  have 
to  work  hard  for  a  living  and  show  results.  I  have  to  call 
on  a  certain  number  of  clients  in  a  day  and  having  once 
worked  a  town  I  don't  come  back  to  it  for  months  or  years. 

"Now  you  as  a  business  man  know  there  is  no  better  time 
to  do  business  than  to  do  it  now,  and  here  I  am  right  on  the 
spot.  You  have  asked  me  to  call  again  only  because  you  are 
not  quite  clear  about  some  point  in  my  offer  and  possibly  want 
to  study  the  literature  I  have  given  you.  Just  let  me  enumer- 
ate some  of  the  points  previously  mentioned,"  and  the  sales- 
man swings  back  into  his  selling  talk  by  recapitulating  those 
arguments  which  he  thinks  will  prove  most  effective. 

§  191.     "Stop  In  On  Your  Next  Trip  and  Perhaps  We'll  Do 
Business" 

This  like  the  two  preceding  excuses  is  another  of  those 
"put  off"  phrases  which  are  used  by  the  vacillating  customer 
who  hasn't  the  moral  courage  to  come  out  with  a  downright 
"No."  This  excuse  is  rarely  heard  when  the  salesman  has 
succeeded  in  arousing  real  interest.  In  consequence  the  ob- 
vious answer  is  to  meet  this  objection  with  a  strong  selling 
talk  as  to  the  merits  of  the  offer. 

"Mr.  Brown,"  the  salesman  may  say,  "if  you  want  these 
goods  at  all  you  want  them  for  the  profit  they  will  earn  you. 
By  putting  off  your  order  until  my  next  trip,  which  will  be 
at  least  three  months  from  now,  you  are  losing  the  profit  you 


EXCUSES   AND   HOW   TO   MEET   THEM 


173 


might  make  on  my  goods  during  these  three  months.     Let 
us  figure  what  this  amounts  to.  .  ,  .  " 

Excuses  advanced  as  reasons  for  procrastinating  imply- 
that  the  salesman  has  failed  to  arouse  desire.  In  each  case 
the  answer  must  be  so  worded  that  he  is  able  to  pass  behind 
the  objection  and  proceed  anew  with  those  arguments  he 
thinks  best  suited  to  the  temperament  of  the  buyer. 

§  192.     Talk  From  the  Customer's  Viewpoint 

In  all  the  salesman's  replies  to  these  numerous  objections 
and  excuses  he  should  answer  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
customer.  For  example,  when  an  excuse  is  made,  "I  will 
think  it  over,"  the  reply  should  not  be,  ''Well,  I  would  like 
to  have  you  decide  now,  Mr.  Brown,  because  I  am  here  and 
am  anxious  to  get  the  matter  settled."  It  is  better  to  word 
the  answer  in  this  way,  "You  are  doing  yourself  an  injustice, 
Mr.  Brown,  unless  you  come  to  a  prompt  decision.  You 
have  me  here  completely  at  your  disposal.  My  time  is  yours. 
Why  not  get  the  matter  settled  now?" 

§  193.     Finding  a  Point  of  Agreement 

As  mentioned  in  the  preceding  chapter  an  invariable  rule 
of  salesmanship  is  never  openly  to  contradict  a  prospect.  No 
one  likes  to  have  his  opinions  disputed.  The  salesman  can 
generally  find  some  point  in  the  objection  to  which  he  can 
assent  and  then,  starting  with  the  point  of  agreement,  he  can 
swing  around  to  the  answer  he  wishes  to  make. 

For  example,  if  the  objection  or  excuse  is  made,  "It  is 
too  much  trouble  to  add  a  new  line,"  it  would  be  tactless  to 
reply,  "Well,  that  is  no  reason  why  you  can't  trade  with  us." 
Instead  the  salesman  answers: 

"Yes,  it  is  some  bother,  I  know,  to  put  in  a  new  line. 
And  yet,  Mr.  Jones,  if  you  had  carried  out  that  idea  all  the 
time  you  have  been  in  business  you  would  not  have  such  a 


174 


IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


fine  stock  or  be  such  a  successful  merchant  as  you  are  now. 
In  these  days  small  stocks  and  many  lines  give  the  maximum 
returns  on  your  investment.  Just  consider  how  much  profit 
in  proportion  to  your  other  lines  this  proposition  will  pay 
you,"  and  the  salesman  proceeds  to  emphasize  the  point  of 
profit.  In  this  way  he  switches  the  thought  of  the  customer 
from  trouble,  which  is  a  disagreeable  thing,  to  the  desire  for 
profit,  which  is  a  much  more  pleasant  thing.  In  proportion 
as  the  case  for  profit  is  proved  up  to  the  hilt,  so  will  the  ob- 
jection raised  on  the  score  of  trouble  fade  away. 

A  prospect  when  offered  a  duplicating  machine  might  ob- 
ject, "I  haven't  any  use  for  it."  A  flat  contradiction  would 
be,  "Yes,  you  have,  only  you  don't  know  it."  Instead  the 
salesman  tactfully  replies,  "I  can  quite  appreciate  why  you 
say  that,  Mr.  Brown.  It  is  natural  for  you  to  think  that  you 
have  no  use  for  this  machine,  as  many  other  business  men 
who  are  now  using  it  once  thought.  I  have  not  yet  had  the 
opportunity  of  familiarizing  you  with  the  many  things  that 
can  be  accomplished  with  this  machine.  Let  me  first  explain 
its  uses  to  you  and  then  you  will  be  able  to  form  a  correct 
judgment  as  to  whether  or  not  you  will  have  any  use  for  it." 

Other  objections  that  must  not  be  answered  directly  are 
those  which  claim  that  a  competitor's  goods  are  superior  in 
some  way.  The  salesman  need  not  feel  discouraged  when  this 
objection  is  raised.  It  must  be  remembered  that  no  article 
can  be  superior  to  competitive  goods  in  every  way  and  in 
every  detail.  Some  points  of  superiority  can  be  found  for 
both.  The  salesman's  aim  should  be  to  present  a  larger  num- 
ber of  facts  in  favor  of  his  own  offer. 

Sometimes  the  objection  may  not  relate  to  the  goods  so 
much  as  to  the  service  which  accompanies  them.  A  customer 
may  argue,  "No,  I  don't  intend  to  give  you  an  order,  because 
I  find  that  we  can  get  quicker  delivery  from  Smith  and  Com- 
pany and  so  I  don't  have  to  buy  such  large  quantities  at  a 


EXCUSES  AND  HOW  TO  MEET  THEM 


175 


time."  To  answer  such  objections  as  these  a  knowledge  of 
local  conditions  is  needed  and  for  this  reason  they  need  not 
be  considered  here. 

SufBcient  has  thus  far  been  written  to  explain  that  a 
salesman's  success  will  depend  in  large  degree  upon  careful 
preparation  and  practice  in  meeting  objections  and  excuses. 
The  reply  must  be  carefully  worded,  the  reasoning  must  be 
sound,  and  the  argument  must  be  delivered  with  tactful  em- 
phasis and  without  a  trace  of  hesitation  or  apology.  To  hesi- 
tate or  apologize  where  backbone  is  needed  is  fatal.  Only 
adequate  preparation  will  enable  the  salesman  to  meet  objec- 
tions and  excuses  with  the  positive  assurance  needed  to  sweep 
them  aside. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  DIPLOMACY  OF  THE  CLOSE 

§  194.     The  Difficulty  of  Landing  the  Order 

The  "close,"  as  the  acceptance  of  the  offer  is  termed,  is 
frequently  referred  to  as  the  hardest  part  of  the  sale  to  ne- 
gotiate. When  the  time  comes  for  the  buyer  to  say  "Yes"  or 
"No"  the  nervous  salesman,  who  reveals  his  anxiety  to  se- 
cure an  order,  may  lose  many  a  sale  which  seems  within  his 
grasp.  But  the  man  who  studies  the  art  of  closing  as  he  stud- 
ies every  other  phase  of  salesmanship,  and  coolly  faces  this 
critical  part  of  the  interview  will  find  no  serious  difficulty  in 
bringing  it  to  its  logical  conclusion. 

Buyers  often  grant  an  interview,  listen  to  the  sales  talk, 
criticise  the  arguments,  and  raise  objections,  real  or  imaginary 
— all  without  any  serious  intention  of  giving  an  order.  Then 
becoming  interested,  as  they  realize  the  advantages  of  the 
proposition,  they  feel  half  inclined  to  try  it  out,  though  they 
may  have  had  no  intention  of  doing  so  at  the  opening  of  the 
interview. 

If  under  these  circumstances  the  attitude  of  the  salesman 
is  at  all  hesitating  when  the  time  comes  to  close  and  ask 
for  an  order,  the  chances  are  that  the  half -decided  customer 
will  draw  back.  In  order  to  help  him  to  come  to  the  point  the 
salesman  must  always  assume  that  his  argument  is  wholly  con- 
vincing and  that  there  is  no  question  but  that  the  offer  will  be 
accepted.  The  mere  fact  that  the  prospect  listens  and  assents 
to  the  claims  and  statements  made  presupposes  the  final  de- 
cision to  buy.  Therefore  when  the  salesman  considers  that 
the  merits  of  the  offer  have  been  explained  in  sufficient  detail 

176 


The  diplomacy  of  the  close  177 

he  should  seek  to  bring  the  interview  to  a  close  by  introducing 
the  subject  of  an  order. 

§  195.     The  Psychological  Moment  to  Close 

Much  has  been  written  about  what  is  termed  the  "psycho- 
logical moment"  to  close.  A  particular  moment  is  supposed 
to  arrive  somewhere  near  the  end  of  the  argument,  when  the 
mind  of  the  customer  will  be  enthusiastically  in  favor  of  the 
ofTer.  For  a  brief  moment  he  will  clearly  realize  its  benefits ! 
Pseudo-scientific  salesmanship  presumes  the  ability  to  sense 
this  particular  moment,  pounce  upon  it,  and  utilize  it  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  the  buyer's  signature  to  an  irrevocable 
contract  in  a  moment  of  irrational  and  unguarded  enthusiasm. 

This  psychological  moment  exists  largely  in  imagination. 
About  half  the  customers  approached  definitely  make  up  their 
minds  while  the  other  half  wobble  mentally.  If  the  skilful 
presentation  of  the  offer  convinces  the  buyer  that  it  fits  in 
with  his  particular  needs  and  he  has  that  mental  strength 
which  enables  him  to  come  to  a  prompt  decision,  he  himself 
may  bring  the  interview  to  a  close  by  saying  he  will  order 
so  much  of  this,  that,  or  the  other.  If  he  belongs  to  the  type 
which  naturally  procrastinates  and  finds  it  difficult  to  decide,  he 
may  need  to  be  reassured  upon  many  points  before  the  sale 
is  closed. 

The  art  of  closing  is  the  ability  to  find  out  when  and  for 
what  reason  the  customer  is  still  reluctant  to  buy.  He  is  then 
reassured  upon  those  points  which  cause  his  indecision,  until 
he  acquires  that  complete  confidence  in  the  all-round  advan- 
tages of  the  proposition  which  leads  to  a  close. 

To  be  on  the  alert,  like  a  cat  watching  for  a  mouse,  for 
a  particular  emotional  buying  wave  to  pass  through  the  pros- 
pect's mind  savors  more  of  securing  an  order  by  means  of 
trickery  than  by  logical  and  skilful  discussion.  There  is  onlv 
one  psychological  moment  to  close — when  the  merits  of  the 


178 


IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


offer  have  been  made  so  attractive  to  the  cautious  or  doubting 
prospect  that  the  suggestion  to  order,  when  made  with  suf- 
ficient firmness  and  diplomacy,  suffices  to  tip  the  scale  in  favor 
of  the  purchase. 

§  196.     Closing  Merely  the  Final  Decision 

Thus  the  close  is  in  no  sense  a  water-tight  compartment 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sales  transaction.  What  the 
salesman  does  throughout  the  interview  is  to  secure  a  series  of 
decisions  leading  to  the  final  one.  The  close  is  merely  a  more 
critical  decision  which  requires  more  tact  and  firmness. 

For  example,  in  the  sale  given  on  page  35  assent 
is  first  secured  to  the  assertion  that  bread  in  general  is  a 
profitable  line  to  handle.  From  this  the  dealer  is  led  to 
acknowledge  the  particular  advantages  of  handling  an  adver- 
tised bread  which  sells  more  readily  than  an  unknown  brand. 
Just  how  much  profit  is  to  be  made  by  handling  White's  Cream 
Bread  is  then  figured  out,  based  on  the  earnings  of  other 
dealers.  The  argument  takes  the  form  of  facts  and  figures 
which  cannot  be  disputed.  Having  made  the  main  appeal  to 
profit,  the  talk  as  a  whole  can  now  be  summarized  by  such  a 
remark  as,  "This  makes  a  very  interesting  proposition,  doesn't 
it,  Mr.  Jones  ?  Suppose  you  make  your  order  two  dozen  loaves 
a  day  to  begin  with.     That  would  be  about  right,  wouldn't  it?" 

This  observation  is  made  merely  as  a  "feeler."  If  the 
customer  draws  back  and  says  that  he  is  not  prepared  to  ac- 
cept the  offer  the  salesman  continues  his  argument  regardless 
of  the  mental  opposition.  This  time  the  prestige  of  handling 
a  well-known  brand  is  referred  to  and  the  advertising  co-op- 
eration offered  by  the  firm  as  a  means  of  building  up  trade  is 
explained  in  detail.  If  the  dealer  still  remains  non-committal 
the  salesman  tries  again : 

"Suppose  I  put  in  a  dozen  loaves  a  day  to  start  with,  Mr. 


THE   DIPLOMACY   OF   THE   CLOSE 


179 


Brown,  and  then  as  soon  as  possible  you  can  make  out  that 
list  of  people  to  whom  we  may  send  the  sample  loaves." 

By  assuming  that  the  last  argument  must  have  convinced 
the  grocer  of  the  advantages  of  selling  his  bread  the  salesman 
makes  another  attempt  to  close.  But  he  carefully  refrains 
from  putting  his  offer  in  the  form  of  a  direct  query  which  will 
permit  the  dealer  to  turn  it  down  with  an  uncompromising 
"No." 

As  another  illustration,  suppose  that  the  customer  is  a  re- 
tailer who  is  buying  shirts.  He  first  acknowledges  that  the 
shirts  offered  are  attractive  in  design ;  then  he  is  assured  that 
the  colors  will  last ;  the  next  decision  to  which  he  comes  is  that 
they  will  suit  the  particular  trade  of  his  customers;  the  price 
he  decides  is  reasonable  and  the  terms  are  as  good  as  he  can 
obtain  elsewhere.  Thus  when  the  time  comes  to  buy,  his  final 
decision  is  bolstered  up  by  a  series  of  smaller  ones.  The 
close  is  not  a  detached  mental  process  wholly  alien  to  the 
rest  of  the  selling  talk  but  a  natural  development  based  on  the 
other  decisions.  When  the  salesman  seeks  to  close  he  does 
=0  naturally  and  without  the  slightest  hesitancy  in  this  way: 

"Will  ten  dozen  of  these  in  assorted  sizes  and  patterns  be 
enough  for  you,  Mr.  Brown?" 

He  assumes  that  the  order  will  follow  as  a  natural  se- 
quence to  his  sales  talk. 

§  197.     Assume  That  the  Order  Will  be  Given 

To  assume  that  an  order  will  surely  be  given  is  an  im- 
portant point  to  remember  in  every  attempt  to  close.  A 
customer  is  much  more  readily  led  to  the  buying  point  if  he 
is  impressed  with  the  fact  that  order-taking  is  part  of  the 
every-day  routine  of  a  salesman's  interview.  When  an 
anxiety  to  close  is  revealed  and  the  prospect  thinks  he  is  being 
urged  to  sign  or  to  order  against  his  better  judgment,  he 
at  once  becomes  cautious  and  draws  back.     But  when  the 


l8o  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

salesman  assumes  that  the  order  is  merely  a  routine  matter 
which  is  the  inevitable  end  of  his  selling  talk,  this  attitude 
helps  the  hesitating  buyer  to  make  up  his  mind.  Thus  when 
a  stationer  asks  a  certain  fountain  pen  salesman  at  the  close 
of  his  sales  talk  a  question  of  any  kind  such  as,  "What  are 
your  terms?"  the  salesman  replies  "Sixty  days  net.  Two  off 
ten."  Then,  taking  out  his  order  blank  he  continues,  "Now, 
suppose  we  start  with  this  style,  say  two  dozen  to  begin  with?" 
When  selling  at  retail  it  is  frequently  necessary  to  help 
the  customer  to  come  to  a  decision  in  this  way.  For  instance, 
a  man  is  buying  a  suit  of  clothes.  He  expresses  a  desire  for  a 
particular  suit  by  studying  it  for  a  long  time,  but  cannot  make 
up  his  mind.  He  takes  it  off  and  tries  on  another.  This  he 
quickly  rejects.  The  salesman  notices  this  and  asks  him  to 
try  on  the  first  suit  again.  When  this  is  done  he  calls  over 
the  tailor  and  says,  "Mr.  Smith,  will  you  kindly  see  what  al- 
terations are  necessary  on  this?" — and  the  tailor  begins  to 
take  the  measurements.  The  making  out  of  the  sales  slip 
usually  follows. 

§  198.     Avoid  the  Negative  Question  Close 

To  frame  the  suggestion  of  an  order  in  the  form  of  a  query 
is  never  advisable.  For  instance,  questions  such  as,  "What 
quantity  can  I  send  of  each  kind,  Mr.  Brown?"  or  "How  soon 
do  you  want  a  shipment?"  court  a  negative  answer  and  an 
opening  is  given  for  a  refusal.  In  the  examples  in  the  pre- 
ceding sections  there  is  no  such  opening,  the  presumption  be- 
ing that  the  order  is  as  good  as  given.  All  that  remains  is 
to  determine  the  number  of  loaves,  the  assortment  in  sizes 
and  patterns  of  shirts,  and  so  on. 

A  salesman  in  a  meat  store  when  asked  for  a  pound  of 
steak  cuts  off  a  pound  and  one-half.  "Will  that  be  too  much  ?" 
he  asks  the  customer.  She  replies,  "Yes,  that  will,"  and  he 
then  has  to  cut  off  the  extra  weight. 


THE   DIPLOMACY   OF   THE   CLOSE 


l«l 


Were  he  to  say  "That  will  be  about  right,  I  think?"  and 
look  at  his  customer  inquiringly  the  probabilities  are  that  she 
would  reply,  "Yes." 

To  a  customer  who  has  just  made  a  purchase  the  query, 
"Will  that  be  all  today?"  invites  the  answer  "Yes."  An  intelli- 
gent salesperson  invariably  asks,  "What  is  the  next  thing, 
please?"  implying  that  another  purchase  is  a  natural  sequence 
of  events. 

§  igg.     Positive  Assertions  Help  the  Close 

The  close  of  a  sale  will  be  more  readily  brought  about  if 
the  claims  and  statements  that  lead  up  to  it  have  been  made 
positive  or  have  elicited  positive  replies  from  the  customer.  A 
salesman  expresses  himself  positively  when  he  shows  that  his 
goods  are  better  than  those  of  his  competitors — not  that  his 
competitor's  are  inferior  to  his.  When  he  concedes  certain 
merits  to  a  competitor's  lines  he  enhances  the  value  of  his 
own.  The  retail  salesman  when  showing  two  articles  to  be 
used  for  the  same  purpose  states  that  one  is  a  good  article  for 
the  price,  but  that  the  other  is  superior  or  better  for  certain 
reasons.  The  clothing  salesman  instead  of  saying,  "This  suit 
will  not  wear  as  well  as  that,"  says  rather,  "This  suit  has  good 
wearing  qualities  but  the  other  will  outlast  it  by  a  long  time." 
The  salesman  who  says,  "I  don't  suppose  you  are  interested  in 
buying  anything  today?"  is  suggesting  a  negative  idea.  It  is 
obviously  much  better  to  ask,  "What  are  you  in  the  market 
for  today?" 

In  the  same  way  when  the  time  comes  to  close  a  sale  the 
customer  will  be  more  readily  brought  to  the  point  of  ordering 
by  such  a  remark  as,  "You  will  be  wise  to  buy  these  goods 
now.  Six  dozen  of  each  kind  ought  not  to  be  too  much  for 
you,"  rather  than,  "You  will  be  foolish  to  misrs  this  oppor- 
tunity.    How  many  may  I  send  you  ?" 

A  little  thought  will  enable  the  salesman  to  change  the 


1 82  IN    CONTACT    WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

wording  of  all  closing  queries  so  that  they  are  made  in  the 
form  of  positive  assertions.  These  assume  that  the  order  will 
be  given  as  a  matter  of  course  and  this  assumption  has  a  pow- 
erful effect  upon  the  mind  of  the  procrastinating  buyer. 

§  200.     Picture  the  Customer  Using  the  Goods 

A  customer  who  evidently  likes  the  goods  and  yet  still 
hesitates,  can  often  be  brought  to  the  buying  point  when  an 
appeal  is  made  to  his  imagination,  by  picturing  him  using  the 
goods  or  profiting  from  the  offer.  This  appeal  to  the  imagina- 
tion is  especially  necessary  when  the  expenditure  is  large  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  the  purchaser's  income. 

For  example,  when  the  buyer  of  an  automobile  is  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  the  salesman  should  paint  a  "word-picture" 
of  the  ease  and  comfort  of  riding  in  the  car,  the  enjoyment  of 
its  swift  motion,  the  health-giving  qualities  of  pure  and  ex- 
hilarating country  air,  and  the  education  to  be  derived  from 
visiting  places  of  interest  for  miles  round. 

The  retail  merchant's  imagination  can  be  appealed  to  by 
depicting  the  goods  in  his  store,  the  fine  display  they  will 
make  on  his  shelves,  and  their  final  sale  to  customers  for 
their  satisfaction  and  his  profit. 

A  strong  appeal  can  often  be  made  to  the  pride  of  the 
shopper,  who  can  be  imaginatively  depicted  wearing  the 
stylish  pair  of  shoes  or  the  becoming  suit  or  coat  which  he  or 
she  is  contemplating  buying.  To  bring  the  hesitating  shopper 
to  the  buying  point,  further  indirect  allusions  may  be  made  to 
the  flattering  comments  that  the  article  will  probably  arouse 
when  friends  inspect  it. 

All  these  are  mental  pictures  which  can  readily  be  con- 
jured up  when  the  expenditure  is  so  important  that  it  tends 
to  create  indecision.  The  more  naturally  and  enthusiastically 
the  pictures  are  drawn,  the  better  the  chance  of  bringing  a  sale 
of  any  importance  to  a  close. 


THE  DIPLOMACY   OF   THE   CLOSE  183 

§  201.     Example  of  Appealing  to  the  Imagination 

An  employee  working  in  the  office  of  a  wholesale  house 
was  interested  in  a  course  in  salesmanship  issued  by  a  well- 
known  correspondence  school.  He  had  asked  for  information, 
but  when  the  salesman  called  he  refused  to  give  a  definite  de- 
cision. In  an  effort  to  close  the  salesman  appealed  to  the 
young  man's  imagination  in  this  way: 

"Mr.  Blank,  you  acknowledge  that  one  of  your  ambitions 
is  to  be  promoted  by  your  firm  to  an  outside  position.  Now, 
think  of  yourself  starting  out  with  your  sample  case.  You 
have  studied  this  course  and  have  thoroughly  mastered  it. 
You  understand  how  to  meet  customers'  objections,  how  to 
argue,  how  to  close  the  sale.  You  will  go  out  with  a  firm 
step  and  your  head  high  because  you  will  have  full  confidence 
in  your  power  to  meet  people  and  sell  to  them. 

"Well,  Mr.  Blank,  you  can  start  tomorrow.  You  can 
begin  preparing  yourself  for  promotion  and  so  help  yourself 
to  deserve  it.  When  you  are  ready  be  sure  the  position  will 
be  ready  for  you.  I  have  filled  out  your  enrollment  applica- 
tion. If  you  will  sign  here  the  first  lesson  will  be  addressed 
to  your  home  tomorrow  and  you  can  start  your  studies  right 
away." 

Extracting  an  application  blank  from  his  coat  pocket  the 
salesman  wound  up,  "Let  me  see,  what  is  your  address?" 

Here  is  a  definite  picture  which  appeals  to  ambition.  The 
young  man  sees  himself  on  the  high  road  to  promotion,  with 
a  sample  case  in  his  hand,  his  step  firm,  his  heart  full  of  confi- 
dence. With  a  pleasant  prospect  like  this  before  him  other 
considerations,  such  as  the  relatively  high  cost  and  the  time 
and  effort  involved  in  study,  fade  into  insignificance.  The 
mental  picture  appeals  to  the  motives  of  desiring  to  excel,  de- 
sire for  knowledge,  love  of  praise,  and  so  forth;  it  creates 
so  powerful  a  desire  to  profit  from  the  offer  that  the  sale  is 
immediately  closed. 


l84  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

§  202.     When  a  First  Attempt  to  Close  Fails 

When  the  first  or  even  the  second  attempt  is  made  to 
secure  a  favorable  decision  and  the  customer  hesitates  without 
definitely  refusing  to  buy,  there  is  still  every  prospect  of  mak- 
ing the  sale.  In  all  probability  the  hesitation  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  complete  mental  assent  has  not  been  given  to  all 
the  claims  made.  To  secure  this  assent  the  salesman  can  make 
a  summary  of  the  arguments  already  used  and  present  them 
in  a  series  of  questions  v^orded  to  draw  an  affirmative  reply. 
Or,  alternatively,  he  can  accentuate  a  special  talking  point 
and  develop  it  if  he  thinks  that  an  appeal  to  another  buying 
motive  may  prove  more  efficacious. 

§  203.     Example  of  a  Change  of  Tactics 

An  automobile  salesman  after  appealing  to  the  imagination 
by  depicting  all  the  delights  of  owning  a  motor  car  vainly  tried 
to  close.  The  hesitating  customer  refused  to  give  a  definite 
order  and  insisted  that  he  required  time  to  think  the  matter 
over.     The  salesman  thereupon  changed  his  tactics: 

"Mr.  Smith,"  he  said,  "I  really  believe  you  wish  to  think 
over  this  proposition,  because  in  your  own  mind  you  are  not 
sure  whether  or  not  you  are  justified  in  incurring  this  ex- 
penditure. You  have  had  no  experience  so  far  in  running  a 
car  and  possibly  you  think  that  its  up-keep  and  the  cost  of 
tires  will  make  a  bigger  hole  in  your  income  than  you  expect. 
Now,  tell  me  what  in  your  own  mind  you  estimated  it  would 
cost  you  to  run  this  car?  In  all  probability  you've  already 
figured  it  out." 

The  salesman  shrewdly  guessed  that  he  had  been  appealing 
to  the  wrong  motive.  He  judged  that  the  type  of  buyer  in 
front  of  him  had  decided  to  spend  so  much  for  the  car  and 
allow  so  much  for  its  up-keep  and  running  cost.  The  custom- 
er acknowledged  that  he  expected  the  up-keep  of  the  car 
would  run  to  at  least  $10  a  week. 


THE   DIPLOMACY   OF  THE   CLOSE  185 

"How  often  do  you  expect  to  use  the  car?  Is  it  for 
business  purposes  or  pleasure?" 

"Oh,  it  is  purely  for  pleasure,"  replied  the  customer. 

"In  that  case  then  you  will  use  it  only  on  Saturday  after- 
noon, Sunday,  and  on  vacation  days?" 

"Yes,"  acknowledged  the  prospect. 

"Also  there  will  be  some  days  when  the  weather  will  not 
permit  you  to  run  about." 

"Yes,"  again  acknowledged  the  customer. 

"Well,  a  fair  distance  to  cover  on  a  Saturday  afternoon 
would  be  about  fifty  miles  and  seventy-five  will  be  the  limit 
on  Sunday.  So  let  us  see  what  it  will  cost  us  to  run  this 
car  one  hundred  miles  a  week,  which  would  be  a  good  average 
for  the  whole  year." 

Thereupon  the  salesman  put  facts  and  figures  before  his 
customer  to  prove  that  even  if  he  traveled  the  maximum  dis- 
tance weekly  and  allowed  a  liberal  margin  for  repairs  and 
tire  renewal  the  car  that  he  was  considering  could  not  cost 
in  up-keep  more  than  $5  a  week,  which  would  also  cover 
insurance  against  breakage.     A  sale  promptly  followed. 

§  204.     The  Final  Closing  Argument 

When  the  salesman  lays  particular  stress  on  a  point  or 
a  motive  that  obviously  appeals  to  a  particular  temperament 
he  causes  this  point  to  assume  such  prominence  in  the  buyer's 
mind  that  it  overwhelms  all  the  objections  that  may  hinder 
the  close.  When,  however,  the  closing  appeal  cannot  be  made 
to  a  particular  motive,  it  will  be  necessary  to  enumerate  all 
the  strong  points  in  regard  to  the  proposition  which  the  cus- 
tomer has  previously  accepted  as  true.  In  doing  this  there  is 
no  necessity  to  repeat  the  former  arguments ;  all  that  is  needed 
is  a  summing  up. 

Each  point  should  be  made  to  stand  out  clearly  and  lumin- 
ously.    In  this  way  all  favorable  impressions  so  far  received 


1 86  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

are  focused  so  that  each  seems  related  to  the  next  and  the 
whole  proposition  gains  the  strength  of  unity  and  complete- 
ness. The  mind  must  be  systematically  prepared  for  the  close 
by  leading  from  one  statement  to  another,  the  interest  grow- 
ing as  the  argument  progresses.  The  enumeration  of  the 
strong  points  of  the  ofTer  will  then  present  such  a  vivid  con- 
ception of  the  advantages  of  the  deal,  that  in  the  majority  of 
cases  little  difficulty  w^ll  be  experienced  in  securing  the  buyer's 
unhesitating  consent. 


CHAPTER    XIX 

THINGS    TO    REMEMBER    WHEN    CLOSING 

§  205.     The  Importance  of  Managing  the  Interview 

Many  a  sales  interview  fails  to  reach  a  successful  close 
because  the  conversation  is  allowed  to  drift  away  from  busi- 
ness into  talk  concerning  affairs  in  general  or  social  doings 
or  happenings.  These  little  side  excursions,  if  not  too  pro- 
longed, are  profitable,  for  as  a  rule  they  create  a  feeling  of 
friendliness  and  mutual  understanding.  In  some  cases,  how- 
ever, especially  in  the  presence  of  the  garrulous  type  of  buyer 
who  loves  the  sound  of  his  own  voice,  a  discussion  of  trivial 
and  irrelevant  matters  often  leads  so  far  from  business  that 
it  is  almost  impossible  for  the  salesman  to  drag  back  the  mind 
of  the  buyer  to  the  main  thing  under  discussion.  When  a 
customer  is  allowed  to  take  the  bit  between  his  teeth  in  this 
way  the  salesman  cannot  say  what  he  would  like  to  say, 
namely,  that  he  hasn't  time  to  discuss  things  which  are  irrele- 
vant to  his  proposition.  He  must  follow  the  prospect's  lead, 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  steer  the  conversation  tactfully 
to  the  main  track  which  leads  to  decision. 

§  206.     Keeping  the  Prospect  on  the  Track 

There  are  several  ways  of  recalling  the  wanderer  to  reali- 
ties. After  the  salesman  has  revealed  the  interest  that 
courtesy  demands  in  what  his  customer  has  to  say,  one 
method  is  to  refrain  from  making  any  further  comments  even 
to  the  extent  of  saying  "Yes"  or  "No."  If  he  will  look  the 
talker  straight  in  the  face  and  merely  nod  in  assent  or  shake 
his  head  when  questions  are  put  to  him,  the  monologue  will 

187 


1 88  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

soon  reach  the  end  of  its  gallop.  As  soon  as  a  pause  in  con- 
versation takes  place,  the  salesman  takes  hold  of  the  customer 
by  the  halter  and  leads  him  gently  back  to  the  road  in  this 
way: 

"What  you  have  told  me,  Mr.  Jones,  is  very  interesting 
and  some  other  time  I  would  like  to  know  more  about  it; 
but  I  must  not  take  up  your  time  now.  You  were  asking 
something  about  our  terms  that  I  ought  to  explain.  ..." 

When  the  garrulity  of  a  customer  seems  like  the  babbling 
brook  the  first  opportunity  to  break  in  must  be  seized  with 
such  a  remark  as,  "Yes,  I  thoroughly  agree  with  you,  Mr. 
Jones.  Don't  think  me  rude  if  I  break  in,  but  before  I  forget 
it  I  want  you  to  understand  thoroughly  that  part  of  my 
offer.  ..."  Conversation  which  is  beside  the  point  is  thus 
interrupted  and  the  customer  is  tactfully  led  back  to  the  main 
point. 

The  most  simple  of  all  methods  is  that  of  a  salesman  who 
makes  a  practice  of  reading  the  local  papers  in  every  town 
he  visits.  He  scans  the  columns  for  news  items  which  he 
thinks  will  be  of  general  interest.  Then  if  it  becomes  neces- 
sary to  interrupt  a  customer  who  has  wandered  from  the 
point,  the  salesman  breaks  in  upon  the  conversation  with  a 
by-the-way  request  for  information  as  to  what  or  why  certain 
things  are  being  done  in  the  town. 

Diplomacy  of  this  kind  is  often  essential  if  the  object  of 
the  call  is  to  be  kept  in  view.  If  the  talkative  buyer  is  given 
the  impression  that  the  salesman's  only  thought  is  to  discuss 
business  and  sell  goods,  a  feeling,  if  not  of  resentment,  at  least 
of  slightly  wounded  pride,  is  created.  That  feeling  is  adverse 
to  closing  the  sale. 

§  207.     How  Much  to  Sell  When  Closing 

A  problem  with  which  the  man  who  is  selling  at  whole- 
sale is  sometimes  faced  is  the  quantity  of  goods  to  be  sold  in  a 


THINGS    TO    REMEMBER   WHEN    CLOSING  189 

given  case.  An  error  of  judgment  frequently  made  by  the 
inexperienced  man  is  to  sell  more  than  the  buyer  can  profit- 
ably use.  This  mistake  rarely  happens  in  the  specialty  field, 
because  a  specialty  is  not  bought  in  quantity  for  resale  but 
purely  for  use.  But  when  selling  for  resale,  especially  if  the 
line  is  new  to  the  dealer,  when  the  time  comes  to  close  there 
is  often  a  real  danger  of  overloading  inexperiencd  custom- 
ers who  by  nature  are  optimistic. 

In  this  field  the  profits  depend  largely  on  the  number  of 
times  the  stock  is  turned  in  the  course  of  a  year.  Dead  stock 
represents  a  large  loss  and  many  retail  failures  can  be  more 
or  less  directly  traced  to  this  cause.  An  inexperienced  man 
often  goes  into  retail  business  with  little  knowledge  of  the 
field;  he  fails  to  study  demand;  he  has  no  proper  system  of 
accounting  and  is  ignorant  of  the  cost  of  doing  business. 
When  he  buys  a  certain  quantity  on  the  advice  of  an  inex- 
perienced or  unscrupulous  salesman  and  then  finds  the  goods 
move  much  more  slowly  than  he  was  led  to  expect,  and  in 
consequence  deteriorate,  he  naturally  feels  resentful. 

§  208.     When  to  Sell  the  Whole  Line 

On  the  other  hand  poor  judgment  or  lack  of  courage  is 
revealed  when  the  diffident  salesman  fails  to  sell  the  quantity 
which  he  believes  the  buyer  can  use  before  the  time  of  the 
next  call  comes  around.  It  must  be  remembered  that  in 
wholesale  selling  it  frequently  costs  more  to  win  over  a  new 
customer  than  the  profit  on  the  first  sale  amounts  to.  Es- 
pecially is  this  the  case  when  a  particular  article  is  featured 
as  an  entering  wedge.  Having  made  an  initial  sale,  elementary 
intelligence  will  at  once  suggest  that  this  is  a  golden  oppor- 
tunity to  make  additional  sales.  More  or  less  friendly  rela- 
tions have  been  established  with  the  buyer;  the  first  purchase 
signifies  that  his  approval  has  been  won ;  in  consequence  he  is 
in  a  receptive  mood.     Therefore,  it  is  legitimate  for  the  sales- 


lOO  IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 

man  who  handles  an  extensive  Hne  to  use  every  argument  in 
favor  of  the  buyer's  purchasing  from  his  whole  line. 

§  209.     Closing  with  a  Cautious,  Doubting  Buyer 

When  closing  the  sale  with  an  apprehensive,  hesitating 
customer  different  tactics  are  needed.  First  estimating  the 
quantity  that  the  dealer  ought  to  dispose  of  in  a  given  period, 
the  salesman  suggests  an  amount  rather  above  it.  The  natural 
impulse  of  the  cautious  dealer  is  to  begin  conservatively  and 
take  no  chances.  If  the  decision  as  to  quantity  is  left  to  him 
he  is  just  as  likely  to  find  himself  out  of  stock  with  no  oppor- 
tunity to  refill,  as  the  optimistic  type  is  likely  to  be  oversold. 
Therefore,  when  in  contact  with  an  extremely  cautious  type  of 
customer  the  salesman  should  mention  an  amount  considerably 
more  than  the  dealer  would  ordinarily  buy. 

A  wholesale  druggist  noticed  that  one  of  his  salesmen  se- 
cured larger  orders  than  other  men  for  a  special  line  which 
was  offered  in  $5,  $10,  and  $25  assortments.  When  asked 
hew  he  managed  it  the  salesman  replied: 

"This  is  a  new  line.  The  dealer  does  not  realize  its  selling 
possibilities.  So  I  talk  to  him  always  about  the  value  of  a 
$50  assortment.  This  as  a  rule  is  rather  more  than  he  thought 
of  investing  in  this  particular  line.  When  the  time  comes  to 
close  and  I  finally  suggest  a  $25  assortment,  the  amount  seems 
so  reasonable  that  it  is  bought  without  hesitation.  The  aver- 
age dealer  is  not  oversold  when  he  buys  this  quantity.  Our 
other  men  after  mentioning  $5  and  $10  assortments  try  un- 
successfully to  sell  the  druggist  assortments  at  the  higher  price 
—and  fail." 

§  210.     The  Signing  of  a  Contract 

In  the  sale  of  expensive  specialties,  from  an  office  device  to 
an  advertising  order,  some  form  of  contract  must  usually  be 
signed.     It   frequently  happens  that  the  prospect  views  the 


*  THINGS   TO   REMEMBER  WHEN   CLOSING  191 

offer  favorably  and  is  carefully  considering  it — until  the  con- 
tract is  placed  before  him.  Then  he  draws  back  simply 
through  his  dislike  to  bind  himself  in  this  irrevocable  way. 

When  an  objection  of  this  kind  is  raised  at  the  close  of  a 
sale  the  salesman  can  meet  it  in  this  way: 

"I  know,  Mr.  Blank,  that  there  are  many  business  men 
who  dislike  signing  contracts  and  I  also  know  that  your  word 
is  absolutely  as  good  as  your  bond.  But  still  you  will  admit 
that  verbal  agreements,  especially  when  making  a  sale  of  any 
importance,  are  not  business-like. 

"Now,  we  on  our  part  have  just  as  much  to  do  in  filling 
the  contract  as  you  have  in  accepting  it.  In  this  contract  it 
states  that  we  will  furnish  you  with  a  certain  kind  of  machine 
at  a  certain  price ;  the  terms  of  delivery  and  payment  are  here 
in  black  and  white,  so  that  any  future  misunderstanding  is  im- 
possible. You  note  that  this  contract  calls  for  one  of  our  latest 
improved  machines  and  also  contains  a  guarantee  to  keep  it 
in  repair.  Therefore,  it  is  as  much  for  your  own  as  for  our 
protection.  A  contract  such  as  this  cannot  be  objectionable  to 
any  business  man  because  it  binds  us  just  as  much  as  it  does 
you."  Talk  such  as  this  is  readily  adaptable  to  every  circum- 
stance. 

A  contract  of  any  kind  usually  involves  the  writing  out 
of  certain  details.  Therefore,  the  best  method  of  closing  is  to 
lead  up  to  the  filling  in  of  these  details  in  a  natural  way,  taking 
for  granted  that  the  formality  is  a  necessary  part  of  the  order- 
ing. Under  no  circumstance  should  the  contract  be  held  in 
reserve  until  the  last  moment  and  then  sprung  upon  the  cus- 
tomer as  a  surprise. 

As  an  example,  the  cash  register  salesman  when  the  time 
comes  to  close,  extracts  an  order  blank  from  his  pocket  and 
says: 

"Now,  Mr.  Blank,  what  style  of  finish  would  you  like  on 
the  register?     Our  usual  finish  is  in  gold,  but  we  also  make 


I02  IN   CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER  * 

one  in  nickel  and  one  in  dark  bronze.  You  see  we  fill  in  here 
on  the  order  form  the  style  of  finish  you  desire.  On  the  back 
(turning  it  over)  is  where  we  fill  in  the  style  of  name-plate. 
I  must  explain  that  your  order  includes  a  name-plate  with  this 
machine.  Have  you  a  business  card  so  that  I  can  get  your 
initials  or  the  firm  name  right?" 

In  this  way  the  merchant  gradually  sees  that  an  order 
is  to  be  made  out  and  that  in  consequence  it  will  be  necessary 
for  him  to  sign  it.  But  the  fact  that  it  contains  details  of  the 
goods  ordered  suggests  to  him  that  this  is  only  customary 
routine. 

§  211.     Rebates  and  Discounts  at  the  Close 

A  stumbling  block  which  frequently  trips  up  the  salesman 
when  the  time  comes  to  close  is  that  relating  to  a  discount 
or  a  rebate.  The  customer  may  have  agreed  that  the  goods 
are  what  he  needs,  that  he  likes  them,  and  that  he  is  inclined 
to  buy;  but  at  the  last  moment  he  turns  around  and  says  to 
the  salesman  something  like  this,  "Your  prices  are  all  right 
and  are  the  same  as  those  of  Smith  and  Company.  But  I 
have  always  been  given  a  5  per  cent  discount  at  the  end  of 
thirty  days  by  that  firm  and  of  course  you  are  ready  to  do 
the  same." 

This  may  be  only  a  "try-out"  or  it  may  be  perfectly  true. 
The*  salesman,  unless  he  knows  the  business  policy  of  the  firm 
mentioned,  has  no  means  of  ascertaining  whether  it  is  true  or 
not.  The  inexperienced  man  in  his  anxiety  to  secure  an  order 
at  any  cost  will  frequently  cut  his  own  commission,  if  he  re- 
ceives one,  or  allow  a  rebate  if  this  is  possible  in  order  to  close 
the  sale. 

This  practice  can  never  be  recommended.  The  salesman 
presumably  represents  a  house  with  definite  terms  as  to  pay- 
ment and  discounts.  He  should  state  what  these  terms  are 
and  then  affirm  emphatically  and  definitely  that  he  must  ad- 


THINGS   TO   REMEMBER  WHEN   CLOSING 


193 


here  to  the  policy  of  the  house.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the 
customer  will  accept  the  usual  terms. 

The  inexperienced  salesman  must  remember  that  the 
shrewd  buyer  is  always  striving  to  secure  the  best  terms  pos- 
sible both  as  to  price,  length  of  credit,  and  discount.  His 
mental  attitude  is  that  "there  is  no  harm  in  trying  it."  But  if 
he  is  pleased  with  the  goods  and  thinks  that  they  will  either 
serve  his  purpose  in  some  w^ay,  or  are  the  best  among  those 
offered  to  him — w^hich  must  be  the  case  when  the  buyer  signi- 
fies that  he  has  decided  to  buy — then  the  final  terms  as  to  dis- 
count and  length  of  payment  have  very  little  bearing  on  the 
close  of  the  sale. 

The  practice  in  many  cases,  especially  in  selling  to  the  re- 
tailer, is  to  grant  an  ascending  scale  of  discounts  which  vary 
with  the  amount  of  the  order.  Frequently  the  dealer  will  ask 
for  the  concession  of  a  large  discount  applied  to  a  smaller 
quantity,  and  may  even  hold  out  for  these  terms.  The  sales- 
man who  represents  a  firm  of  standing,  with  a  definite  and 
fixed  credit  policy,  usually  turns  down  such  attempts  to  gain 
further  concessions  by  a  frank  explanation  that  his  terms  are 
positively  so  and  so  and  that  they  are  the  same  for  all  cus- 
tomers alike.  The  salesman  who  represents  an  unknown  house 
will  find  that  attempts  are  very  often  made  to  secure  conces- 
sions and  rebates  of  this  nature.  Whether  or  not  he  grants 
them  must  be  determined  by  the  policy  of  the  house  he  rep- 
resents. 

§  212.     When  Obstacles  Arise  to  Prevent  a  Sale 

Sometimes  after  an  order  is  accepted,  even  when  a  cus- 
tomer has  signed  a  contract,  he  refuses  to  carry  out  his  agree- 
ment. This  may  happen  because  of  misrepresentation,  since 
the  advantages  of  the  offer  have  been  exaggerated ;  or  because 
the  customer  has  been  "bounced"  into  buying  against  his  will ; 
or  it  may  be  due  to  timidity  and  indecision.     Whatever  the 


194 


IN    CONTACT   WITH   THE   CUSTOMER 


cause,  diplomacy  will  be  needed  when  the  salesman  calls  to 
find  out  the  nature  of  the  trouble  and  bring  the  customer  back 
to  the  buying  frame  of  mind. 

If  there  has  been  no  misrepresentation  and  the  only  expla- 
nation given  by  the  customer  is  that  he  has  "changed  his  mind," 
the  presumption  is  that  he  was  only  half  sold  on  the  proposi- 
tion at  the  first  interview.  The  policy  of  the  salesman  will  then 
be  to  seek  a  second  interview  and  ask  the  customer  pointblank 
just  why  he  is  doubtful  as  to  the  benefits  he  will  derive  from 
the  purchase.  In  this  interview  it  is  much  better  to  go  straight 
to  the  point.  The  salesman  is  in  an  advantageous  position, 
because  he  is  entitled  to  an  explanation  from  a  man  who  breaks 
a  contract  even  if  only  a  verbal  one.  If  the  customer  is  merely 
suffering  from  "cold  feet"  at  the  thought  of  the  expenditure, 
the  salesman  should  have  little  difficulty  in  warming  up  his 
circulation  through  contact  with  his  own  enthusiasm.  If  the 
reason  advanced  is  that  something  has  happened  meanwhile 
that  makes  it  impossible  or  inconvenient  for  the  customer  to 
accept  the  goods,  the  salesman  must  use  his  resource  and  his 
special  knowledge  in  an  effort  to  find  a  way  around  the  diffi- 
culty. 

§  213.     An  Example  of  Resource  in  Closing 

The  importance  of  resource  in  such  a  sales  crisis  as  this 
is  illustrated  by  the  following  anecdote: 

An  insurance  salesman  after  several  interviews  with  an 
obdurate  client  who,  though  he  had  signified  his  intention  of 
buying  insurance  still  refused  to  come  to  the  point,  at  last 
closed  a  policy  for  $20,000.  When  the  signature  was  finally 
obtained  the  salesman  felt  sure  that  there  would  be  no  further 
hitch  as  his  client  was  in  the  best  of  health,  young,  and  had 
only  recently  been  married.  On  the  strength  of  the  signature 
he  proceeded  to  draw  his  commission. 

A.  few  days  later  to  his  dismay  he  heard  that  the  medical 


THINGS   TO    REMEMBER   WHEN    CLOSING  195 

adviser  for  the  company  had  failed  to  turn  in  his  report  as  to 
the  result  of  the  physical  examination.  The  salesman  went  to 
the  medical  officer  to  find  out  what  was  wrong,  as  the  young 
prospect  when  last  seen  seemed  to  be  in  perfect  health.  The 
doctor  told  him  that  the  client  resolutely  refused  to  answer  a 
vital  question  in  the  application  form  which  every  buyer  of 
insurance  must  fill  out,  and  until  this  question  was  answered 
the  doctor  could  not  complete  his  report  to  the  company.  The 
question  referred  to  asked  for  information  as  to  the  cause  of 
death  of  the  prospect's  father. 

When  the  salesman  called  in  order  to  ascertain  why  an 
answer  to  this  question  had  been  refused  he  was  told  in  con- 
fidence that  the  father  of  his  client  had  been  hung  as  a  spy 
during  the  Civil  War ;  as  this  secret  had  apparently  died  with 
him,  under  no  circumstance  would  the  prospect  bring  it  to 
life  again. 

At  this  unexpected  difficulty  the  salesman  was  at  first  non- 
plused. After  a  moment's  quick  and  concentrated  reflection 
a  look  of  relief  spread  over  his  face. 

"Oh,  I  can  fix  that  all  right  for  you.    Give  me  the  blank." 

The  salesman  then  wrote  in  the  space  provided  for  the  an- 
swer to  the  question  "cause  of  death  of  your  father,"  "Fell 
from  a  scaffold;  death  instantaneous." 

"You  won't  object  to  this,  will  you?"  said  the  salesman 
as  he  showed  it  to  his  client. 

"No,  that  just  about  covers  it  all  right,"  was  the  reply. 

The  blank  went  through,  the  policy  was  issued,  and  the 
salesman  collected  his  commission. 

A  little  resource  in  emergencies  is  the  distinguishing  mark 
of  the  alert  salesman. 


PART   III 

THE  SALESMAN'S  POST-GRADUATE 
COURSE 


CHAPTER  XX 

FRIENDLY  RELATIONS  WITH  THE  BUYER 

§  214.     Friendship  Often  an  Essential  Factor  in  Making  Sales 

A  leather  salesman  had  been  calling  on  a  shoe  manufac- 
turer month  after  month  for  two  years  and  during  that  time 
had  received  only  a  few  trifling  orders.  On  the  rare  occasion 
when  the  buyer  granted  an  interview  his  manner  was  gruff, 
abrupt,  and  almost  discourteous.  The  interview  invariably 
ended  with  the  refrain,  "No,  nothing  more  today.  This  is 
absolutely  all  I  need  in  your  line." 

One  day  the  salesman  chanced  to  meet  the  buyer  in  a 
street  car,  attentively  studying  a  seedsman's  catalogue.  "Beau- 
tiful weather  for  planting  a  garden,  isn't  it?"  he  said  genially 
as  he  sat  down. 

"Yes,"  was  the  reply,  "I  left  the  office  early  to  put  in  an 
extra  hour's  work  on  mine." 

The  salesman  being  an  enthusiastic  gardener  himself  knew 
something  about  the  growing  of  plants  and  flowers.  An  in- 
teresting conversation  ensued  which,  before  the  ride  termin- 
ated, developed  into  a  feeling  of  mutual  friendliness.  Within 
a  week  the  salesman  made  a  point  of  calling  upon  the  dealer 
and  opened  his  interview  with  the  words,  "Well,  how's  the 
garden  today?"  An  exchange  of  agricultural  lore  followed 
and  when  the  two  separated  the  salesman  carried  away  with 
him  his  first  substantial  order. 

This  anecdote  illustrates  the  point  that  in  many  cases  the 
only  possible  road  to  the  buyer's  favor  is  to  cultivate  friendly 
relations.  The  salesman  may  determine  the  best  motive  to 
appeal  to  in  a  particular  case;  he  may  study  his  customer's 

199 


200        THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

characteristics ;  he  may  arrange  his  sales  talk  accordingly ;  but 
if  his  goods  are  much  like  those  of  his  competitors  and  offer 
nothing  exceptional  in  price  or  quality,  he  will  often  find 
buyers  cold  and  indifferent.  The  reception  may  be  more 
cordial  to  the  representative  of  a  prominent  house  that  stands 
above  its  competitors,  but  a  salesman  whose  house  does  not 
enjoy  the  esteem  or  admiration  of  the  buyer  must  expect  to 
meet  indifference.  Under  these  circumstances  the  best  course 
may  be  to  forgefc  the  proposition  and  all  its  details  for  the 
time  being  and  to  concentrate  upon  the  cultivation  of  friendly 
relations  at  every  call. 

§  215.     The  Importance  of  First  Impressions 

This  friendliness  is  as  a  rule  the  natural  sequence  of  an 
opening  order  and  satisfactory  results  therefrom.  But  the 
difficulty  of  the  salesman  in  many  cases  is  to  secure  the  open- 
ing. Once  obtained  he  hopes  that  his  own  personality  plus 
the  merits  of  the  goods  will  enable  him  to  develop  a  trial 
order  into  a  permanent  and  lucrative  connection. 

Much  therefore  depends  upon  the  impression  he  makes  on 
his  first  visit.  If  this  impression  is  favorable  a  feeling  of 
good-will  is  established,  which  inclines  the  buyer  to  look  for 
reasons  why  he  should  buy.  When  such  reasons  are  sought 
for,  they  are  not  difficult  to  find.  If  the  opposite  feeling  is 
aroused,  if  for  some  reason  the  salesman's  manner  or  method 
of  approach  do  not  please  him,  the  customer  tends  to  be  exact- 
ing and  critical  and  is  frequently  unreasonable  in  the  objections 
he  raises  against  the  goods.  This  attitude  of  mind  is  an  ef- 
fectual barrier  against  forming  a  new  connection. 

§  2 1 6.     Geniality  the  First  Essential 

It  is  of  first  importance  in  the  cultivation  of  friendly  rela- 
tions that  the  salesman  himself  shall  feel  genuinely  friendly  to- 
ward others.    An  honest  wish  to  please,  a  feeling  of  real  inter- 


FRIENDLY    RELATIONS   WITH   THE   BUYER  201 

est  in  other  people  and  the  desire  to  help  them,  a  willingness  to 
put  oneself  to  personal  trouble  or  inconvenience  in  order  to 
be  helpful — qualities  such  as  these  radiate  an  atmosphere  which 
other  people  instinctively  like  and  which  makes  them  ready 
to  listen  to  the  salesman  and  co-operate  with  him.  Before 
other  people  will  like  you,  you  must  like  them.  First  in  im- 
portance in  cultivating  friendly  relations  is  geniality — a  sin- 
cere desire  to  be  friendly  and  to  please. 

§  217.     How  Geniality  Can  Be  Revealed 

This  definition  of  geniality  leads  to  a  discussion  of  how  it 
may  be  revealed.  One  method  which  every  salesman  can 
practice  is  to  think  of  means  of  rendering  not  only  the  service 
which  should  go  with  the  goods,  but  additional  service — a 
"something  extra"  the  customer  does  not  expect. 

A  lady  entered  a  drug  store  and  asked  the  salesman  to 
give  her  something  to  cure  an  inflamed  eye.  The  salesman, 
noting  that  the  ailment  was  serious,  suggested  that  it  would 
be  wiser  and  safer  for  her  to  consult  a  doctor.  She  accepted  his 
advice.  He  then  offered  to  call  up  the  doctor's  office  and  find 
out  if  he  was  in.  The  doctor  replied  that  he  could  see  her 
if  she  came  around  immediately.  The  salesman  suggested  a 
taxicab  and  immediately  rang  for  one  on  the  telephone. 
Gratitude  for  the  service  which  was  not  expected  was  the  nat- 
ural result — and  gratitude  is  one  form  of  friendliness. 

§  2i8.     The  Importance  of  "Service-Plus" 

The  foregoing  incident  illustrates  what  is  known  in  the 
jargon  of  salesmanship  as  "service-plus."  Most  salesmen  are 
reasonably  polite  and  obliging  but  not  all  realize  the  im- 
portance of  being  obliging  to  the  extent  of  taking  trouble  and 
putting  themselves  to  inconvenience  when  opportunity  offers. 
A  salesman  who  wishes  to  cultivate  the  friendliness  of  his 
customers  must  seek  opportunities  to  render  this  service-plus. 


202        THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

Service-plus  comprises  not  only  an  earnest  and  intelligent 
desire  to  sell  what  can  be  profitably  used  and  thus  afford  sat- 
isfaction, but  also  a  sincere  wish  to  attend  to  requests  or 
preferences  in  minor  matters  which  do  not  always  seem  of 
importance  when  the  mind  is  wholly  concentrated  upon  mak- 
ing a  sale.  A  salesman  who  remembers  every  trifling  wish 
or  instruction  expressed  by  the  buyer,  even  though  not  in- 
cluded in  the  terms  of  the  sale,  is  adopting  one  of  the  most 
effective  means  of  cultivating  permanent,  friendly  relations. 
If,  in  addition,  he  is  able  when  asked  to  give  advice  which  can 
be  relied  upon,  his  hold  on  the  esteem  of  his  customer  is 
proportionately  strengthened. 

§  219.     Examples  of  Service-Plus 

The  manager  of  a  large  department  store  chanced  to  be 
in  the  clothing  department  when  a  salesman  arrived  to  inter- 
view the  buyer.  The  salesman  represented  one  of  the  largest 
wholesale  manufacturers  of  clothing  in  the  country.  As  the 
expenditure  for  that  department  formed  a  considerable  item, 
the  manager  remained  to  help  the  buyer,  if  necessary,  with 
his  judgment.  The  buyer  continually  asked  the  salesman  for 
advice  as  to  selections  and  quantities  and  purchased  freely — 
rather  to  the  surprise  of  the  manager  who  expected  him  to 
distribute  his  orders  among  other  salesmen. 

After  the  order  was  finally  made  up  and  the  salesman 
had  retired,  the  manager  questioned  the  buyer  and  said  to 
him,  "Why  did  you  buy  so  freely  and  trust  the  judgment  of 
the  salesman  more  than  your  own." 

"Because  I  have  learned  it  pays  to  do  so,"  was  the  reply. 
"Last  year  when,  he  called  he  told  me  that  if  he  were  in  my 
place  he  would  load  up  on  the  'pinch-back'  and  one  or  two 
other  styles,  which  I  finally  did  at  his  suggestion.  You  know 
that  at  the  end  of  the  season  we  had  fewer  'left-overs'  in  our 
department  than  in  any  other.     Yet  had  I  followed  my  own 


FRIENDLY    RELATIONS    WITH    THE   BUYER  203 

judgment  we  should  have  been  short  of  our  best  sellers  by  sev- 
eral thousand  dollars, before  the  end  of  December,  and  over- 
loaded in  other  lines.  I  have  taken  his  advice  as  to  styles  on 
one  or  two  other  occasions  and  I  have  always  found  it  right. 
As  he  attends  to  my  instructions  in  every  detail  and  goes  out 
of  his  way  to  please  me  even  when  I  am  unreasonable,  I 
give'  him  all  the  orders  I  can." 

Sometimes  the  service  may  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  with 
the  goods  or  their  delivery  and  if  so,  it  can  be  rendered  with 
even  more  telling  effect. 

A  traveling  candy  salesman  reached  one  of  his  prospects 
late  on  Saturday  afternoon.  He  found  the  storekeeper  greatly 
rushed,  because  of  a  special  sale  he  was  holding.  As  the 
salesman  intended  to  stay  in  the  town  over  Sunday,  without 
any  words  he  helped  himself  to  a  white  linen  jacket  which 
hung  in  an  unobtrusive  corner  of  the  store,  then  took  up 
his  position  behind  the  counter  and  began  to  wait  on  customers. 
In  former  days  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship  in  a  candy 
store  and  so  he  proved  himself  as  deft  and  competent  a  sales- 
man as  any  other  man  behind  the  counter.  Needless  to  say 
this  action  resulted  in  cementing  a  feeling  of  firm  friendliness. 

§  220.     Reveal  Interest  in  What  Others  Do 

A  telling  method  of  cultivating  friendly  relations  is  to  look 
for  an  opportunity  to  show  interest  in  something  done  by 
another  person.  One  salesman  calling  upon  retailers  makes 
it  a  practice  to  scrutinize  closely  the  window  displays  and 
interior  arrangement  of  his  customers'  stores.  When  he  notes 
any  changes  he  comments  upon  them.  "That  is  a  fine  display 
you  have  in  the  window,"  he  may  remark.  "Who  is  respon- 
sible for  it?  It  must  have  cost  you  a  lot  of  time  and  trouble" ; 
or,  "I  like  this  new  arrangement  of  your  fixtures.  It's  cer- 
tainly a  big  improvement."  Every  retailer  as  a  rule  is  pleased 
with  his  own  window  dressing  and  store  arrangement.     He  is 


204 


THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


gratified  to  find  that  other  persons,  particularly  strangers,  take 
notice  of  what  he  is  doing. 

§  221.     Look  for  a  Ground  of  Common  Interest 

Most  men  have  a  hobby  of  some  kind.  We  are  gratified 
when,  in  discussing  things  in  which  we  are  interested,  we 
find  that  our  tastes  coincide  with  those  of  others.  If  the 
salesman  can  find  out  what  his  customer  cares  for  and  turn 
the  conversation  around  to  that  subject,  so  much  the  better. 
A  hobby  is  usually  a  topic  of  paramount  interest  to  the  per- 
son who  rides  it.  The  more  intelligently  the  salesman  can 
discuss  it  the  more  gratified  his  listener  will  be. 

For  example,  golf  may  be  the  hobby  in  one  case.  The 
salesman  can  then  steer  the  conversation  around  to  bunkers 
and  greens,  where  he  and  his  customer  can  meet  on  common 
ground.  The  topic,  which  is  of  perennial  interest  to  its  de- 
votees, can  easily  be  broached  by  asking  for  information  about 
the  local  links,  the  kind  of  course,  the  lowest  score  ever  made 
by  the  customer,  and  so  on. 

A  salesman  had  on  several  occasions  called  without  result 
on  a  prospective  customer  whose  hobby  was  photography. 
During  this  period  the  salesman  also  became  interested  in  the 
art.  His  first  attempts  included,  as  is  usually  the  case,  many 
poor  pictures  and  some  complete  failures.  On  his  next  visit, 
instead  of  broaching  the  business  side  of  his  call,  he  adroitly 
steered  the  conversation  around  to  photography.  "I  under- 
stand, Mr.  Sherman,"  he  said,  "that  you  are  an  expert  photog- 
rapher. I  bought  a  camera  a  few  weeks  ago  but  I've  not 
yet  succeeded  in  getting  good  pictures.  Perhaps  you  will  be 
good  enough  to  tell  me  what  is  wrong  with  my  methods."  And 
here  he  handed  some  prints  over  for  his  customer's  inspection. 
At  once  the  latter  became  interested  and  gladly  offered  much 
practical  advice. 

Nothing  more  was  said  about  business  that  day,  but  on 


FRIENDLY   RELATIONS   WITH   THE   BUYER 


205 


his  next  trip  the  salesman  noted  a  more  cordial  tone  of  wel- 
come in  the  buyer's  voice  than  before.  Still  he  received  no 
order.  Before  leaving  he  drew  a  package  of  photographic 
prints  out  of  his  pocket  and  handing  them  over  the  counter 
said,  "You  see,  Mr.  Sherman,  I  have  followed  your  instruc- 
tions and  this  is  the  result.  There  certainly  is  some  improve- 
ment. But  from  what  you  said  to  me  I  rather  fancy  these 
two  pictures  were  under-exposed.     Isn't  that  the  case?" 

The  buyer  proffered  a  few  more  suggestions  and  they 
parted  good  friends.  On  the  next  trip  the  salesman  received 
a  small  order  and  thereafter  he  never  failed  to  secure  his 
share  of  that  buyer's  business. 

§  222.     Topics  of  the  Day  a  Point  of  Contact 

Topics  of  the  day  sometimes  furnish  a  subject  of  interest. 
A  salesman  had  frequently  called  on  a  manufacturer  without 
being  permitted  to  interview  him.  His  acquaintanceship  was 
limited  to  a  chance  meeting  and  a  nod  of  recognition.  No 
opportunity  for  conversation  had  ever  occurred.  On  his  next 
journey  to  the  town  he  chanced  to  be  seated  in  the  train  be- 
hind the  manufacturer.  The  salesman  noticed  that  the  custom- 
er was  reading  a  magazine  article  on  woman  suffrage — a 
subject  which  the  salesman  himself  had  studied  and  on  which 
he  could  talk  intelligently.  Waiting  until  the  magazine  was 
laid  down  he  leaned  over  the  back  of  the  seat,  introduced  him- 
self to  the  manufacturer,  who  remembered  only  his  face,  and 
asked  his  opinion  as  to  the  probability  of  the  adoption  of 
woman  suffrage  in  that  particular  state.  An  interesting  con- 
versation followed  and  before  the  end  of  the  journey  the  ac- 
quaintanceship was  on  a  friendly  footing. 

Instead  of  trying  immediately  to  take  advantage  of  this 
opening,  the  salesman  merely  shook  hands  at  the  end  of  the 
journey  and  bade  the  manufacturer  a  cordial  "good  day." 
The  salesman's  purpose  was  sufficiently  served  by  impressing 


2o6        THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

the  prospect  favorably  with  his  personality  and  general  intelli- 
gence.    On  his  next  call  a  month  later  an  order  followed. 

This  anecdote  illustrates  two  things.  A  salesman's  fund 
of  knowledge  cannot  be  too  comprehensive  in  character,  and 
his  powers  of  observation  must  be  acutely  developed.  The  ad- 
vantage of  picking  up  knowledge  and  information  of  every 
kind,  which  is  discussed  in  greater  detail  in  Chapter  XXII, 
may  be  illustrated  here  by  the  following  anecdote. 

After  several  fruitless  calls  on  an  obdurate  buyer  a  sales- 
man chanced  to  note  in  the  daily  paper  of  the  town  he  had 
just  visited,  an  account  of  an  automobile  accident  in  which 
the  buyer's  two  children  had  been  seriously  injured.  He  made 
a  note  in  his  pocket-book  of  the  name  of  the  man  responsible 
for  the  accident  and  a  mental  observation  to  refresh  his  mem- 
ory when  next  he  visited  the  town. 

"I  was  sorry  to  hear  of  the  sad  accident  to  your  children," 
he  began  when  he  opened  his  interview,  "but  I  hope  by  now 
both  are  on  the  road  to  recovery.  What  happened  to  that 
road-hog  MacPherson?  Did  the  court  suspend  his  license  and 
imprison  him?" 

The  buyer's  sentiments  toward  the  careless  rider  who  was 
responsible  for  the  injury  to  his  children  can  be  imagined, 
and  with  this  opening  a  chord  of  common  interest  was  at  once 
established. 

§  223.     The  Salesman  as  a  Source  of  Information 

The  salesman  who  travels  over  wide  stretches  of  country 
and  visits  several  big  cities  has  an  opportunity  of  comparing 
notes  with  his  brother  salesmen  in  the  same  and  other  lines. 
In  this  way  valuable  information  as  to  trade  tendencies  can 
often  be  picked  up.  When  the  buyer  is  trying  to  gauge  fashion 
and  style  or  to  ascertain  the  trend  of  prices  in  a  fluctuating 
market,  he  often  values  the  salesman's  advice.  When  an  ex- 
tensive line  of  samples,  more  or  less  bewildering,  is  brought  to 


FRIENDLY   RELATIONS   WITH    THE   BUYER  207 

the  buyer's  attention,  his  good-will  can  often  be  gained  by 
suggesting  to  him  styles  which  are  selling  best.  Information 
of  this  kind  can  be  used  frequently  as  a  means  of  cementing 
exis^'ng  friendly  relations  or  establishing  new  ones.  An  en- 
terprising house  always  keeps  its  salesmen  posted  with  in- 
formation as  to  trade  tendencies. 

§  224.     Friendly  Relations  in  the  Retail  Field 

To  cultivate  friendly  relations  with  customers  is  quite  as 
profitable  a  stimulant  to  retail  as  to  wholesale  trade. 

A  customer  entered  a  hardware  store  and  ordered  a  can 
of  varnish.  "What  is  it  to  be  used  for?"  asked  the  salesman. 
"We  have  varnishes  for  various  purposes." 

"I  want  to  give  my  canoe  a  coating,"  was  the  reply. 

"Well,  then,  you  want  a  varnish  that  will  stand  water. 
Have  you  entered  for  the  regatta  next  week?" 

"Yes,"  responded  the  customer  with  evident  interest.  "I 
am  in  the  canoe  race." 

A  conversation  followed  about  the  regatta  which  soon  de- 
veloped into  a  bond  of  common  interest  between  the  two.  The 
storekeeper  added  one  more  permanent  customer  to  a  list  of 
patrons  who  traded  with  him  because  they  liked  his  genial 
manner  and  the  interest  he  took  in  their  hobbies. 

Sometimes  service  can  be  rendered  without  a  word  being 
spoken.  Two  young  people  accompanied  by  an  elderly  lady 
approached  the  soda  fountain  of  a  drug  store  on  a  warm 
sunny  afternoon.  The  young  people  ordered  ice  cream  but 
their  companion  did  not  wish  for  anything.  The  clerk  in 
charge  of  the  soda  fountain  served  three  glasses  of  ice  water 
instead  of  two.  As  it  was  a  hot  day  he  set  the  fan  over  their 
table  in  motion.  Service-plus  such  as  this  is  always  ap- 
preciated and,  whether  rendered  in  the  wholesale  or  retail 
field,  develops  that  friendly  feeling  which  leads  to  permanent 
business  relations. 


2o8         THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

§  225.     Summary 

The  cultivation  of  friendly  relations  is  only  a  means  to  an 
end  when  more  direct  methods  of  making  a  sale  have  proved 
unavailing.  It  is  not  always  possible  to  learn  in  advance  or 
at  the  first  interview  what  may  be  the  special  interest  or  hobby 
of  the  prospect.  In  the  sale  of  specialities  of  moderate  value, 
when  a  customer  is  called  upon  only  once  or  at  very  rare 
intervals,  this  method  is  impracticable.  In  wholesale  sales- 
manship, however,  and  when  selling  a  specialty  of  sufficient 
importance  to  warrant  several  attempts  to  make  a  sale,  every 
effort  should  be  made  to  learn  from  observation,  from  outside 
information,  and  from  queries  to  those  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  buyer,  what  his  hobby  or  interest  may  be.  In  the 
hands  of  a  capable  salesman  this  knowledge  once  gained  be- 
comes a  valuable  wedge  of  entry  against  the  closed  door. 


CHAPTER    XXI 

THE  RETAIL  SATISFACTION  THAT  CREATES 
GOOD-WILL 

§  226.     The  Importance  of  Retail  Good-will 

We  have  seen  how  important  it  is  for  the  salesman  and 
the  house  he  represents  to  establish  friendly  relations  with  the 
wholesale  buyer.  It  is  equally  important  for  the  retail  sales- 
person to  do  everything  possible  to  secure  the  good-will  of  the 
shopper.  Customers  must  be  attracted  and  then  pleased  be- 
fore an)^thing  can  be  sold.  The  ideal  in  every  store  should  be 
for  every  purchase  to  give  complete  satisfaction.  The  nearer 
the  approach  to  this  ideal,  the  thicker  become  the  strands  of 
good-will  that  bind  customers  to  the  store. 

A  large  department  store  may  spend  $100,000  or  more 
a  year  in  advertising.  The  firm  knows  that  this  publicity  will 
cost  several  times  the  profit  made  on  the  sales  that  can  be 
directly  traced  thereto.  The  main  object  of  publicity  is  to  sat- 
isfy and  please  the  customers  who  are  attracted  by  it  so  that 
they  visit  the  store  again  and  again.  In  thus  securing  the 
customers'  good- will  the  manner  and  competence  of  the  sales- 
person who  waits  on  them  are  important  factors  in  every  store. 

§  227.     The  Study  of  the  Art  of  Giving  Satisfaction 

To  satisfy  customers,  therefore,  should  be  the  chief  aim  of 
every  salesperson.  The  study  of  the  art  of  pleasing  the  shop- 
per is  a  post-graduate  course  in  salesmanship  that  every  retail 
salesperson  needs.  Yet  the  majority  of  those  who  serve  behind 
retail  counters  give  little  if  any  thought  to  the  matter.  Cus- 
tomers come  to  the  store  with  more  or  less  decided  ideas  as 

209 


210        THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

to  what  they  want,  and  so  the  assumption  is  that  the  sale  will 
depend  upon  the  mental  attitude  of  the  shopper.  When  the 
sale  is  made,  the  important  question  as  to  whether  the  goods 
will  give  the  satisfaction  that  can  reasonably  be  expected,  or 
that  the  salesperson  has  led  the  customer  to  expect,  is  rarely 
considered ;  and  if  the  customer  leaves  without  making  a  pur- 
chase, little  thought  is  given  to  the  reason  why. 

The  majority  of  retail  salespersons,  in  fact,  do  not  realize 
the  necessity  of  bringing  thought  to  bear  upon  their  daily 
duties — their  manner,  bearing,  truthfulness  of  statement,  and 
personal  efficiency;  and  only  a  minority  leaven  their  work  as 
a  whole  with  a  sincere  desire  to  please. 

§  228.     Things  the  Salesperson  Must  Refrain  from  Doing 

The  attitude  of  the  representative  on  the  road  is  positive 
and  aggressive.  He  has  to  approach  and  sometimes  force  his 
offer  upon  the  attention  of  buyers.  The  attitude  of  the 
retail  salesperson,  if  not  inactive,  is  distinctly  more  passive 
than  that  of  the  outside  representative.  The  customer  comes 
to  the  store;  he  or  she  expresses  a  wish;  and  the  salesperson 
seeks  to  fulfill  it  as  satisfactorily  as  possible. 

In  the  cultivation  of  friendly  relations  with  the  buyer  there 
are  many  definite  and  positive  things  which  a  salesman  on  the 
road  can  rernember  to  practice  when  opportunity  offers — all 
with  the  object  of  creating  a  favorable  impression.  In  culti- 
vating the  good-will  of  retail  customers  it  is  more  difficult  to 
impress  them  with  the  personality  of  the  salesperson.  The 
first  requirement  on  the  part  of  salespersons  is  that  they  shall 
refrain  from  doing  anything  which  directly  or  indirectly  dis- 
turbs the  harmonious  relations  of  a  customer  with  the  store. 

For  example,  every  care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  giving 
offense  to  even  the  most  crotchety  and  unreasonable  customer ; 
all  customers  should  be  treated  alike  regardless  of  their  social 
importance  as  revealed  by  appearance  or  manner ;  no  custom- 


RETAIL   SATISFACTION  211 

er  should  be  urged  to  buy  when  merely  looking  around ;  no 
claims  should  be  made  for  the  goods  which  cannot  be  upheld 
by  use  or  wear ;  and  nothing  should  be  done  in  word  or  deed 
which  might  suggest  indifference  and  lack  of  that  attention 
to  which  all  shoppers  are  entitled  by  virtue  of  the  patronage 
they  bestow  upon  the  store. 

§  229.     Positive  Things  the  Salesperson  Can  Do 

The  attitude  of  the  salesperson  need,  however,  by  no  means 
be  entirely  passive.  The  salesman  on  the  road  can  make  a 
favorable  impression  upon  his  customers  by  the  geniality  and 
sincerity  of  his  manner.  The  salesperson  in  a  store  can  prac- 
tice the  art  of  making  the  customers  feel  that  they  are  welcome 
guests  and  that  the  person  who  attends  to  them  is  anxious  to 
please. 

The  bright  sales  clerk,  for  example,  will  get  close  to  the 
customers — so  to  speak — find  out  something  about  their  tastes 
and  preferences,  and  make  them  feel  his  genuine  desire  to  as- 
sist them  in  every  possible  w'ay. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  many  people  are  tempera- 
mentally shy  and  diffident  and  dislike  to  give  trouble.  A 
valuable  quality  for  the  salesperson  is  the  ability  to  put  such 
customers  at  their  ease  so  that  they  will  take  the  time  and 
trouble  needed  to  find  just  what  they  want  and  just  what  suits 
them.  Other  persons  are  exacting  to  the  verge  of  unreason- 
ableness. This  class  may  make  large  drafts  on  the  sales- 
person's patience,  but  if  this  patience  results  in  praise  of  the 
store  it  is  worth  the  effort  involved. 

§  230.     The  Salesperson  and  the  Service  of  the  Store 

The  modern  word  which  sums  up  the  art  of  pleasing  cus- 
tomers is  that  of  "Service."  Service  may  be  said  to  begin  with 
the  buying.  This  presupposes  that  every  care  is  taken  in  the 
selection  of  goods  which  are  sold  at  a  price  to  include  both 


212         THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

profit  and  the  prestige  and  service  rendered  by  the  store. 
Service  involves  also  the  delivery  of  the  goods  to  the  customer 
in  perfect  condition,  and  may  even  go  so  far  as  to  ofifer  to 
exchange  or  refund  the  price  of  any  article  if  it  fails  to  give 
satisfaction.  Between  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  service 
there  are  many  little  details  for  the  performance  of  which  the 
salesperson  is  responsible.  Unless  these  are  attended  to  care- 
fully and  satisfactorily  the  perfection  of  the  service  as  a  whole 
suffers. 

§  231.     The  Goods  Must  Give  Satisfaction 

Service  may  thus  be  divided  into  two  parts :  that  for  which 
the  management  is  responsible,  and  that  for  which  the  sales 
force  is  responsible. 

The  management  is  primarily  responsible  for  the  satisfac- 
tion that  the  goods  afiford.  Yet  the  most  careful  buying  and 
the  utmost  honesty  of  statement  will  fail  in  the  effort  to  give 
satisfaction  unless  the  salesperson  describes  the  goods  accu- 
rately and  with  equal  honesty.  To  the  best  of  his  ability,  the 
buyer  takes  every  precaution  not  to  offer  anything  for  sale 
which  cannot  be  expected  to  give  reasonable  service.  But  in 
an  effort  to  meet  competition,  articles  are  frequently  manufac- 
tured which,  while  of  fair  value  for  the  price  asked,  are  ill 
adapted  for  the  service  they  are  expected  to  render. 

Especially  is  this  the  case  with  things  which  have  to  with- 
stand wear  and  tear.  The  appearance  and  finish  of  such 
an  article  may  fail  to  reveal  that  its  quality  is  of  a  low  grade. 
When  handling  wares  of  this  kind  the  temptation  is  great,  in 
order  to  make  a  sale,  especially  when  the  customer  is  doubtful 
of  the  quality,  to  exaggerate,  if  not  to  make  statements  which 
are  the  reverse  of  the  truth.  When  the  goods  prove  disap- 
pointing, as  they  frequently  do,  the  customer  becomes  dis- 
trustful of  the  store,  its  methods  on  the  whole  are  tinged  with 
suspicion,  and  its  good-will  in  consequence  is  injured. 


RETAIL   SATISFACTION 


213 


A  salesperson  should  tell  the  truth  about  the  goods  even 
if  thereby  a  sale  is  lost.  The  actual  truth  will  come  out  sooner 
or  later. 

When  a  customer  finds  that  a  misstatement  was  made  at 
the  time  of  purchasing  a  certain  article  the  invariable  result  is 
a  loss  of  confidence  in  the  methods  of  the  store  when  the  de- 
fects of  the  purchase  are  discovered.  Although  a  customer  may 
refuse  an  article  when  a  true  description  of  its  quality  is  given, 
at  the  same  time  confidence  in  the  honesty  of  the  store  is  in- 
creased thereby.  One  sale  lost  through  honesty  of  statement 
in  the  present  may  be  ofTset  by  a  dozen  or  more  made  in  the 
future  because  of  the  confidence  engendered  by  the  truth. 

§  232.     The  Result  of  Truthfulness  of  Statement 

A  lady  entered  a  furniture  store  to  ascertain  the  price  of 
a  mahogany  sideboard  she  had  seen  in  the  window. 

"What  is  the  price?"  she  asked. 

"Sixty  dollars,  Madam,"  replied  the  salesman, 

"Is  it  solid  mahogany?" 

"No,  Madam,"  promptly  replied  the  salesman.  "It  would 
be  impossible  to  purchase  a  solid  mahogany  sideboard  at  that 
figure.  You  will,  however,  find  that  the  veneer  is  perfectly 
applied  and  cannot  be  detected  unless  examined  by  an  expert. 
Tf  handled  with  reasonable  care  this, sideboard  will  outlast  your 
lifetime  and  that  of  the  next  generation." 

The  lady  left  the  store  without  making  a  purchase.  Three 
days  later  she  returned  with  a  young  man  whom  she  was 
about  to  marry,  and  the  couple  selected  several  hundred  dollars' 
worth  of  furniture.  W^hile  making  her  purchases  she  told  the 
salesman  that  she  had  tried  to  buy  a  mahogany  sideboard  from 
another  dealer  who  had  offered  her  on'e  for  $75,  declaring  it 
to  be  solid  mahogany  throughout.  But  remembering  the  sales- 
man's remark  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  make  a  sideboard 
of  solid  mahogany  at  this  price,  she  became  suspicious  and 


214         '^^^   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

decided  to  make  all  her  purchases  at  the  store  where  she  could 
believe  in  the  truth  of  the  salesman's  statements. 

§  233.     Complaints  About  Unsatisfactory  Goods 

When  an  article  which  is  guaranteed  to  be  of  good  quality 
and  of  a  certain  kind  fails  to  give  satisfaction  in  rendering  the 
service  that  can  reasonably  be  expected,  any  complaint  should 
be  investigated  and,  if  justifiable,  promptly  corrected.  The 
policy  may  at  times  seem  expensive,  but  experience  proves 
that  it  pays  because  of  the  good-will  thereby  produced. 

A  country  customer  bought  a  handsome  seasoned  oak 
rocker  by  mail  from  a  large  store.  In  ordering,  the  stipulation 
was  made  for  solid  oak,  as  a  strong  chair  was  required. 

Three  years  later  a  man  appeared  in  the  furniture  depart- 
ment of  this  store  bringing  with  him  a  parcel.  He  insisted 
upon  seeing  the  buyer.  Before  saying  anything  he  undid  the 
parcel  and  revealed  the  end  of  a  broken  rocker. 

"I  bought  a  chair  from  you  over  three  years  ago,"  he  be- 
gan, "and  I  paid  $20  on  purpose  to  be  sure  of  buying  one  made 
from  seasoned  oak.  When  I  buy  furniture  I  want  it  to  last. 
Now  look  what  has  happened  to  it!  In  twisting  this  chair 
around,  its  rocker  caught  a  table  leg  and  snapped  off  like  a 
cornstalk." 

"Why,  a  rocker  of  seasoned  oak  should  stand  any  sort  of 
an  ordinary  blow  during  your  lifetime,"  replied  the  buyer  as  he 
picked  it  up  to  examine  it.  "This  break  has  evidently  been  due 
to  a  flaw  in  the  timber  which  is  covered  by  the  stain.  W^e  are 
sorry  to  have  caused  you  this  inconvenience  and  trouble,  and 
if  you  will  send  the  chair  to  us  at  our  expense  we  will  have  it 
repaired  and  return  it  to  you  without  any  charge." 

The  result  of  this  liberal  policy,  despite  the  three  years' 
service  the  chair  had  given,  was  that  the  confidence  of  the 
customer  who  at  first  doubted  the  truth  of  the  description  of 
the  rocker,  was  at  once  restored.     Though  this  incident  illus- 


RETAIL   SATISFACTION  21 5 

trates  more  an  aspect  of  store  policy  than  of  salesmanship,  it 
emphasizes  the  importance  of  supporting  one's  words  with 
deeds  and  this  the  salesperson  should  always  strive  to  do. 
Truthfulness  of  statements  and  a  willingness  to  live  up  to  them 
are  the  chief  requisites  for  the  upbuilding  of  that  confidence 
without  which  no  permanent  good-will  can  be  built  up  for  any 
store. 

§  234.     Superficial  Study  Kills  Enthusiasm 

In  addition  to  being  truthful  in  describing  the  goods  the 
salesperson  must  put  life  into  the  description.  Many  clerks 
lack  enthusiasm  in  their  manner  of  describing  or  presenting 
their  goods  because  they  study  them  superficially  and  conse- 
quently have  only  a  slight  interest  in  them.  They  learn  just 
enough  to  give  a  stereotyped  sales  talk.  They  do  not  study 
the  goods  intensively  to  discover  in  how  many  ways  appeal 
can  be  made.      ( See  Chapter  XXII. ) 

The  saleswoman  who  is  showing  a  pair  of  gloves  to  a  retail 
customer  and  remarks,  "J^^st  fed  this  glove!  Isn't  the  kid 
beautifully  soft,  and  isn't  it  a  stylish  glove  too?  I  think  it  is 
one  of  the  smartest  styles  we  have  ever  sold,"  indicates  by  the 

enthusiasm  of  her  manner  her  admiration  for  the  merchandise 

« 

she  is  handling.  She  cannot  fail  to  arouse  the  same  feeling 
in  some  degree  in  the  mind  of  the  customer. 

Salespersons  who  lack  this  appreciation  of  the  fine  points 
of  the  goods  because  they  have  given  them  only  superficial 
study  present  the  sales  argument  in  a  flat  and  unconvincing 
way.  They  wait  upon  a  certain  number  of  customers  a  day ; 
they  explain  in  a  methodical,  but  half-hearted,  fashion  the 
merits  of  certain  goods  when  questioned  by  the  customer  who 
happens  to  need  them;  they  accept  an  order  often  without  so 
much  as  a  "thank  you" ;  and  after  the  goods  are  wrapped  they 
listlessly  watch  the  customer  leave  the  store. 

Compare  with  the  languid,  apathetic  type  the  appearance 


2i6         THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE    COURSE 

and  countenance  of  the  salesperson  who  is  enthusiastic;  the  ex- 
pression is  wide-awake  and  alert;  the  manner  pleasing  and 
courteous ;  and  the  whole  attention  is  concentrated  upon  giving 
satisfaction.  A  store  can  reflect  its  willingness  to  serve  and  its 
desire  to  please  only  through  its  sales  force.  Salespeople  who 
put  the  animation  of  quiet  enthusiasm  into  their  work  benefit 
the  house,  the  customer,  and  themselves. 

§  235.     The  Clerical  Work  of  the  Salesperson 

A  detail  of  the  store's  service  for  which  the  salesperson  is 
responsible  and  to  which  careful  attention  should  be  paid  is  the 
clerical  work  attached  to  the  sale  and  delivery  of  goods.  In 
making  the  sales  slips  every  care  should  be  taken  to  obtain  the 
customer's  correct  name,  with  the  correct  street  address. 
Everything  should  be  written  clearly  so  that  there  is  no  possi- 
bility of  making  a  mistake  later.  Delays  frequently  occur  be- 
cause of  such  mistakes  and  these  acts  of  carelessness  create  an 
unfavorable  impression. 

Having  made  out  the  sales  slip,  accurate  in  every  detail, 
the  salesman  should  then  see  to  the  assembling  and  packing  of 
the  goods  so  far  as  the  responsibility  for  these  details  falls 
upon  him.  To  insure  accuracy  it  is  necessary  to  acquire  the 
habit  of  concentrating  while  performing  purely  routine  tasks. 
Mistakes,  for  instance,  frequently  occur  in  wrapping  up  par- 
cels, and  orders  are  sent  out  mixed  or  incomplete  because  the 
mind  of  the  salesperson  is  permitted  to  wander  to  other  things 
while  engaged  in  the  work  of  sorting  and  packing  the  goods. 

§  236.     Acquiring  the  Habit  of  Concentration 

One  person  handles  a  multiplicity  of  details  year  in  and 
year  out  and  a  mistake  rarely  if  ever  occurs;  another,  with 
much  less  detail  to  attend  to,  frequently  makes  errors  of  omis- 
sion and  commission  for  which  there  is  no  excuse.  The  one 
thinks  about  the  task  in  hand  to  the  exclusion  of  other  thoughts 


RETAIL    SATISFACTION  21 7 

and  the  work  in  consequence  becomes  much  more  interest- 
ing— and  accurate.  The  mind  of  the  other  is  allowed  to  wan- 
der with  the  result  that  only  a  perfunctory  interest  is  taken 
in  an  irksome  task  and  mistakes  are  the  natural  result. 

Since  much  of  the  work  of  retail  salespeople  involves  close 
attention  to  details  it  is  important  that  the  habit  of  concentra- 
tion be  acquired.  The  faculty  can  be  developed  more  readily 
than  is  usually  imagined  if  one  will  remember  to  take  an  in- 
terest in  doing  a  particular  task  just  as  zvell  as  it  can  be  done. 
In  arranging  stock  let  the  arrangement  be  as  perfect  as  possible 
and  free  from  the  slightest  trace  of  untidiness ;  in  writing  out 
a  sales  slip  make  the  figures  so  clear  that  a  mistake  is  im- 
possible and  verify  the  address  and  the  calculations  so  that 
accuracy  is  assured;  when  wrapping  up  a  parcel  try  to  make 
it  as  symmetrical  and  perfect  as  it  can  be  made. 

When  we  try  to  do  anything  as  well  as  it  can  be  done  we 
take  much  more  interest  in  our  task  and  this  is  the  secret  of 
concentration. 

§  237.     All  Customers  Must  Be  Treated  Alike 

An  invariable  rule  of  every  well-managed  store  is  that  the 
same  interest  and  courtesy  should  be  revealed  toward  the  cus- 
tomer who  is  shabbily  dressed  as  to  the  one  who  is  well- 
dressed.  To  jump  to  conclusions  merely  from  general  appear- 
ance and  the  style  and  value  of  the  garments  worn  is  some- 
times dangerous  as  the  following  incident  shows: 

On  a  rainy  morning  a  lady  dressed  in  a  raincoat  that 
seemed  a  little  the  worse  for  wear,  a  hat  very  much  under  the 
influence  of  the  weather,  and  equipped  with  an  umbrella  of 
nondescript  character,  entered  a  fashionable  store  in  order  to 
buy  some  lace  for  her  daughter's  wedding  dress.  When  she 
reached  the  lace  department  she  requested  the  salesperson  to 
show  her  the  Brussels  lace  she  wanted.  The  salesgirl  placed 
an  imitation  lace  on  the  counter. 


2i8         THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

"This  is  not  the  real  thing,"  said  the  customer.  "This  is 
not  what  I  want.    I  asked  for  Brussels  lace." 

"Why,"  replied  the  salesgirl  with  a  look  of  surprise,  "that 
kind  of  lace  is  very  expensive." 

The  customer  without  another  word  picked  up  her  um- 
brella and  made  her  way  to  the  exit  of  the  store.  The 
manager  happened  to  meet  her  as  she  was  leaving  and  recog- 
nized a  lady  of  considerable  social  importance.  He  judged 
by  her  manner  that  something  was  the  matter.  So  he  asked 
her  if  she  had  been  properly  treated. 

"I  have  just  made  up  my  mind  never  to  enter  your  store 
again,"  was  the  curt  reply. 

The  case  was  explained,  the  manager  was  profuse  in  his 
apologies,  and  begged  the  customer  to  return.  She  was  placed 
in  charge  of  another  saleswoman  and  before  she  left  the  store 
her  purchases  amounted  to  over  $i,ooo. 

This  illustration  is  typical  of  the  treatment  frequently 
offered  to  customers  who  fail  to  impress  the  ignorant  or  ill- 
mannered  salesperson  with  the  dignity  of  their  appearance  and 
their  apparel.  Of  course,  not  every  shabbily  dressed  person 
is  a  wealthy  shopper  in  disguise.  But  the  risk  of  offending  a 
well-to-do  patron  whose  appearance  in  no  way  indicates  pros- 
perity is  much  too  great  to  permit  anything  but  a  uniform  and 
courteous  method  of  handling  all  customers  alike. 

§  238.     Try  to  Help  the  Customer 

A  man  entered  a  hardware  store  and  asked  for  a  certain 
kind  of  hook  to  use  in  support  of  a  curtain  rod.  The  salesman 
who  waited  on  him  curtly  replied,  "We  haven't  any  of  those — 
don't  keep  them  in  stock,"  and  turned  away  to  attend  to  an- 
other customer. 

The  man  entered  a  second  store  and  here  the  salesman's 
reply  was,  "I'm  sorry,  we  don't  keep  these  hooks  in  stock  be- 
cause they  are  a  special  kind  of  hook.    You  can  buy  them  only 


RETAIL   SATISFACTION 


219 


in  a  store  that  sells  curtains  or  curtain  rods.  A  big  depart- 
ment store  will  be  the  best  place  for  you  to  go." 

The  customer  followed  the  advice  and  had  no  trouble  in 
procuring  what  he  wanted.  His  future  hardware  ileeds  were 
naturally  supplied  by  the  store  in  which  the  salesman  had  done 
his  best  to  help  him. 

This  incident  illustrates  the  importance  of  doing  everything 
possible  to  help  a  customer,  even  if  there  seems  to  be  no  pos- 
sibility of  deriving  present  or  future  benefit  from  the  courtesy. 
When  goods  are  being  displayed,  if  the  customer  asks  for  ad- 
vice or  seems  to  rely  upon  the  salesman's  taste  or  opinion,  the 
obvious  policy  is  for  the  latter  to  do  everything  to  help  the 
customer  come  to  a  decision.  When,  however,  a  customer 
makes  a  request  either  for  information  or  for  something  to  be 
done  which  in  no  way  relates  to  a  possible  sale,  many  sales- 
persons think  that  it  is  outside  their  province  to  help  or  to 
humor  a  customer  in  this  way. 

§  239.     Be  Patient  with  the  Customer 

Customers  who  are  difficult  to  please  or  who  cannot  find 
just  the  thing  they  have  in  mind,  often  sorely  try  the  patience 
of  the  salesperson.  If  there  is  one  virtue  more  important  than 
another  for  salespeople  to  possess  in  such  a  case,  it  is  that  of 
patience.  Without  patience  they  cannot  give  consideration  and 
careful  attention  to  the  customer's  needs,  desires,  or  whims. 

A  lady  bought  an  evening  gown  and  an  afternoon  dress. 
She  had  great  difficulty  in  making  up  her  mind  and  occupied 
over  an  hour  of  a  salesgirl's  time.  Two  days  later  she  returned 
the  evening  gown  because  she  did  not  like  its  appearance  in 
artificial  light.  A  day  later  she  again  visited  the  store  and 
asked  for  the  saleswoman  from  whom  she  had  bought  the  two 
gowns.  As  the  salesperson  came  forward  the  customer  greeted 
her  in  this  way: 

"You  were  so  kind  and  patient  with  me  in  helping  me  to 


220        THE   SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

select  that  evening  gown  the  other  day,  which  I  found  did  not 
suit  me  when  I  tried  it  on  at  home.  I  now  want  to  see  whether 
I  can  find  something  that  I  like  better  than  the  afternoon 
dress." 

With  such  an  erratic  customer  as  this  it  would  have  been 
natural  to  reveal  some  impatience  but  the  salesgirl  sweetly 
repUed: 

"I  shall  be  very  glad  to  show  you  what  we  have,  Madam." 

Thereupon  a  lengthy  and  patient  search  began  which  lasted 
over  an  hour.  Before  the  customer  left  she  not  only  decided 
to  keep  the  afternoon  dress,  but  she  selected  another  and  much 
more  expensive  evening  gown  in  place  of  the  one  returned. 

"She  was  so  helpful,"  the  customer  exclaimed  to  a  friend 
as  they  left  the  store  together.  "I  really  did  not  know  just 
what  kind  of  evening  gown  I  wanted.  But  she  went  to  so 
much  trouble.  She  found  something  that  just  suited  me  in 
the  end  and  I  simply  had  to  buy  it.  I  shall  ask  for  her  again 
when  I  want  another  gown." 

However  inexperienced  and  ignorant  a  salesperson  may 
be,  much  will  be  forgiven  for  the  sake  of  patience  and  a  sin- 
cere desire  to  help  others.  Helpfulness,  moreover,  soon  be- 
comes second  nature  if  we  look  for  opportunities  to  prac- 
tice it. 

The  store  that  enjoys  the  reputation  of  employing  sales- 
people who  are  uniformly  courteous  and  desirous  of  helping 
customers,  finds  in  this  one  of  its  biggest  business  assets.  The 
salesperson  who  sincerely  tries  to  please  and  who  remembers 
that  the  likes,  dislikes,  and  feelings  of  the  customer  must  come 
first  in  consideration  is  the  type  of  employee  who  builds  up 
that  intangible  but  most  concrete  of  business  assets — good-will 
founded  on  satisfaction. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE    KNOWLEDGE   THAT   GIVES    BREADTH 

§  240.     The  Growing  Importance  of  the  Man  Who  Knows 

The  importance  of  knowing  one's  goods  is  now  so  uni- 
versally recognized  that  no  firm  of  any  standing  would  send 
a  man  out  prepared  in  the  old-fashioned  way — furnished 
merely  with  a  grip  and  primed  with  answers  to  a  few  likely 
questions.  Today  the  engagement  of  an  outside  man  is  never 
for  a  moment  considered  by  manufacturers  or  wholesale 
dealers,  unless  he  is  either  experienced  in  a  firm's  particular 
line,  or  unless  the  organization  is  equipped  to  put  him  through 
a  comprehensive  training  course.  Moreover,  all  department 
stores  of  the  first  rank  and  many  less  important  retail  houses 
now  maintain  schools  of  salesmanship.  These  retail  houses 
also  encourage  their  employees  to  study  their  goods  during 
leisure  hours,  providing  them  with  literature  which  describes 
the  origin  of  their  wares  and  the  process  of  manufacture 
involved. 

No  matter  whether  a  salesman  is  selling  on  the  road  or 
behind  the  counter  he  needs  a  fund  of  information  about  the 
goods  he  handles.  In  salesmanship  ignorance  is  the  greatest 
of  all  crimes  of  omission.  The  man  who  is  in  daily  contact 
with  certain  kinds  of  goods  and  is  continually  handling  them 
may  at  any  time  be  asked  a  question  about  them  which  is 
quite  remote  from  his  selling  task.  The  fact  that  he  is  in 
charge  of  their  sale  presupposes  that  he  knows  more  about 
them  than  the  average  person.  When  he  is  forced  to  show 
his  ignorance  by  such  an  answer  as,  "I  don't  know,"  he  fails 

221 


222         THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

to  impress  others  as  a  person  of  intelligence  and  suffers  in 
their  estimation. 

§  241.     Necessity  of  Knowledge 

Much  of  the  knowledge  that  is  an  essential  part  of  every 
salesman's  work  is  of  such  an  obvious  nature  as  to  merit  no 
more  than  passing  comment.  Knowledge  of  his  goods  and 
of  the  trade  he  represents  may  be  taken  for  granted.  In 
addition  the  house  will  furnish  him  with  the  instructions 
needed  for  making  out  an  order  and  will  post  him  regarding 
methods  of  shipment,  terms  of  payment,  house  reports,  and 
so  on.  This  information  varies,  since  every  business  has  its 
own  rules  and  observances.  Every  important  concern  makes 
a  point  of  furnishing  its  representatives  with  fundamental  in- 
formation relating  to  the  goods,  the  house,  and  their  terri- 
tory. To  fail  to  do  this  would  be  as  lacking  in  foresight  as 
to  send  the  soldier  into  the  firing  hne  without  his  equipment. 

But  in  addition  to  the  knowledge  that  is  peculiar  to  his 
particular  business  there  is  a  fund  of  more  or  less  valuable 
information  which  every  salesman  needs  to  acquire,  if  he  is 
to  impress  his  customers  as  a  person  of  more  than  average 
intelligence  and  education.  The  higher  rungs  of  the  ladder 
of  salesmanship  can  be  attained  only  by  the  men  who  have 
this  intelligence.  To  succeed  in  any  walk  of  life  a  man  must 
first  have  ability  and  character;  but  though  he  possesses  both 
in  a  high  degree,  he  will  be  outstripped  in  the  race  for  suc- 
cess by  the  man  who  in  addition  to  character  and  ability  also 
knows.  The  man  who  knows  must  have  made  a  conscious 
effort  to  acciuire  his  knowledge. 

§  242.     Know  Your  House  and  Its  History 

First  on  the  list,  if  not  first  in  importance,  in  every  sales- 
man's store  of  information  is  a  knowledge  of  the  history,  the 
policy,  and  the  personnel  of  the  house  he  represents. 


KNOWLEDGE  THAT   GIVES   BREADTH  223 

A  wholesale  salesman  employed  by  a  large  corporation 
has  been  known  to  set  out  not  knowing  even  the  name  of 
its  president.  This  was  of  course  a  careless  lack  of  prepara- 
tion. Every  salesman  should  learn  the  history  of  his  firm, 
the  names  of  its  personnel,  what  the  different  departments  are, 
their  relations  to  each  other,  the  names  of  the  heads  of  the 
different  departments,  and  so  on.  He  is  constantly  meeting 
people  who  are  acquainted  with  or  have  had  previous  deal- 
ings with  the  house.  When  they  mention  the  name  of  some- 
one connected  with  it,  or  an  important  fact  about  its  history 
with  which  the  salesman  is  unfamiliar,  he  is  placed  in  an  em- 
barrassing position. 

§  243.     Knowledge  of  Processes  of  Manufacture 

In  the  sale  of  certain  products  a  knowledge  of  the  proc- 
esses of  manufacture  is  essential.  In  such  cases  representa- 
tives are  not  permitted  to  approach  customers  until  they  have 
served  an  apprenticeship  in  the  factory,  frequently  receiving 
a  preliminary  training  in  every  department  of  the  business  be- 
fore they  are  sent  out  to  sell.  Salesmen  who  rise  high  in  their 
calling  are  invariably  those  who,  in  addition  to  a  carefully 
cultivated  aptitude  for  selling  goods,  have  acquired  technical 
knowledge  which  equips  them  to  meet  on  an  equal  footing 
the  technically  educated  buyer.  A  salesman  who  wishes  to 
advance  rapidly  is  well  advised  to  combine  with  his  knowledge 
of  salesmanship  the  study  of  a  technical  subject.  This  com- 
bination will  insure  a  much  more  lucrative  position  if  the 
knowledge  relates  to  a  prosperous  and  commanding  trade. 

§  244.     The  Expert  Knowledge  Demanded  by  a  Motor  Truck 
Concern 
A  well-known  motor  truck  house  insists  that  its  sales- 
men study  the  technicalities  of  haulage  and  construction — 
not  because  this  knowledge  is  needed  as  part  of  a  sales  talk, 


224 


THE    SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


but  because  it  is  useful  in  order  to  obtain  maximum  results  in 
sales.  Motor  trucks  are  frequently  sold  to  men  in  possession 
of  a  technical  knowledge  of  their  construction,  who  have 
given  close  study  to  the  subject  of  efficient  haulage.  The 
salesman  must  be  ready  to  meet  and  to  sell  to  these  techni- 
cally trained  minds.  Long  hauls,  short  hauls,  constant  loads, 
varying  loads,  hilly  country,  city  traffic,  and  a  hundred  and 
one  other  considerations  all  enter  into  the  choice  of  a  com- 
mercial vehicle.  The  man  who  is  about  to  invest  in  an  ex- 
pensive battery  of  motor  trucks  has  to  be  shown  how  he  can 
get  the  most  for  his  money,  and  this  means  that  the  salesman 
must  be  familiar  with  all  the  intricate  workings  of  a  delivery 
or  transportation  system. 

§  245.     School  of  Salesmanship  for  Specialty  Selling 

Certain  specialty  houses  which  rely  largely  on  the  efforts 
of  salesmen  and  whose  specialty  is  a  more  or  less  complicated 
product,  maintain  schools  of  salesmanship  in  which  every 
budding  representative  is  carefully  trained  in  the  art  of 
demonstrating  his  specialty  and  in  answering  the  objections 
of  buyers.  If,  for  example,  a  piece  of  mechanism  or  an  office 
appliance  needs  to  be  explained,  the  salesman  must  study  and 
handle  it  until  he  thoroughly  grasps  its  working.  He  is 
drilled  in  the  demonstration  of  the  product  until  he  is  familiar 
with  its  every  detail. 

This  preparatory  work  is  often  carried  a  degree  further. 
A  class  of  instruction  is  formed  and  each  salesman  in  turn 
has  to  make  a  demonstration  sale  while  the  instructor  or  one 
of  the  pupils  acts  as  the  customer.  The  value  of  this  drill 
cannot  be  overestimated.  The  salesman  works  under  the 
critical  eye  of  a  dozen  or  more  onlookers,  all  of  whom  are 
ready  to  point  out  his  weaknesses  and  to  correct  his  manner- 
isms of  voice  or  bearing. 

When  the  man  selling  a  specialty  has  no  opportunitv  of 


KNOWLEDGE   THAT    GIVES    BREADTH  225 

going  through  a  comprehensive  course  of  instruction  he  will 
be  well  advised  to  deliver  his  sales  talk  and  make  an  actual 
demonstration  of  his  methods  to  his  friends  with  a  view  to 
friendly  criticism  and  the  eradication  of  defects  in  his  method 
or  in  his  address. 

§  246.     Special  Knowledge  of  Goods 

Before  considering  the  general  fund  of  knowledge  which 
every  salesman  should  possess,  let  us  consider  what  should 
be  his  special  knowledge  "of  his  goods  other  than  that  which 
is  furnished  him  by  the  house  he  represents.  He  must  of 
course  be  familiar  with  prices  and  be  able  to  quote  them  with- 
out referring  to  a  price  book  unless  there  are  hundreds  of 
different  items  on  his  list.  This  information  wins  the  buyer's 
respect  and  is  the  first  distinguishing  mark  of  the  expert.  He 
should  also  be  able  to  explain  fully  what  his  goods  will  do — 
whether  performances  relate  to  service,  durability,  or  any 
other  striking  record.  Instances  of  customers  with  well- 
known  names  who  have  bought  the  product  and  secured  good 
results  from  it  are  also  useful  knowledge. 

One  typewriter  salesman,  for  example,  makes  a  point  of 
memorizing  the  time  of  various  speed  contests  in  which  his 
machine  has  won  prizes  at  mercantile  exhibitions.  He  uses 
this  information,  which  at  first  view  does  not  seem  to  be  of 
much  interest  or  value  to  a  business  man,  in  order  to  prove 
the  truth  of  his  statements  about  the  reliability  of  his  machine. 

In  the  same  way  the  automobile  salesman  is  usually 
familiar  with  the  cost  of  operation  and  superiority  of  certain 
points  of  construction  in  the  car  he  handles  and  he  also  has  at 
his  finger  ends  instances  of  long  service  secured  by  users  of 
the  car. 

Facts  such  as  these,  although  they  may  not  be  useful  in 
every  sale,  will  sooner  or  later  prove  their  value  in  a  particu- 
lar case. 


226        THE   SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE  COURSE 

§  247.     The  Special  Knowledge  of  the  Expert 

Much  more  than  a  knowledge  of  grades  and  prices  and  a 
perfect  acquaintance  with  the  talking  points  of  one's  goods  is 
desirable  when  selling  certain  materials  for  manufacturing 
purposes.  A  successful  cotton  salesman,  for  example,  has 
built  up  for  himself  such  a  reputation  as  an  expert  that  all  the 
business  he  can  take  care  of  comes  to  him  over  the  telephone. 
Customers  know  that  his  judgment  as  to  the  fitness  of  various 
kinds  of  cotton  for  certain  work  is  to  be  relied  upon.  When 
he  advises  them  to  buy  because  the  price  is  likely  to  advance, 
they  act  upon  his  suggestion.  He  is  constantly  being  referred 
to  because  of  his  knowledge  of  statistics  in  the  cotton  market. 
He  knows  what  affects  the  quality  of  cotton  and  the  advan- 
tages of  one  kind  over  another  for  every  process  of  manu- 
facture. If  a  customer  tells  him  for  what  purpose  the  cotton 
is  needed  his  judgment  as  to  the  kind  best  suited  for  the  pur- 
pose can  be  relied  on.  Years  of  patient  study  combined  with 
observation  carried  on  with  the  minuteness  of  analysis  has 
made  him  an  expert  in  the  cotton  trade. 

A  rubber  salesman  attributes  his  success  to  his  all-around 
knowledge  of  the  industry.  He  can  unerringly  appraise  the 
value  of  any  goods  by  the  use  of  a  pocket  magnifying  glass. 
He  knows  the  market  conditions  of  all  ingredients  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  the  product  he  handles,  so  that  he  can 
estimate  the  effect  on  prices  of  a  rise  or  fall  in  the  price  of 
sulphur  or  some  other  material  used  in  rubber  manufacture. 

The  really  big,  successful  salesmen  of  raw  supplies  are 
actually  market  and  produce  experts.  Manufacturers,  and  to 
a  less  extent  retailers,  buy  their  judgment  and  knowledge 
when  they  buy  the  goods  they  have  to  offer.  A  salesman 
whose  knowledge  of  the  industry  with  which  he  is  connected 
is  deficient  in  any  way  is  sharply  limited  in  his  earning  power 
and  almost  certainly  fails  to  rise  to  an  executive  position  of 
any  importance. 


KNOWLEDGE  THAT   GIVES   BREADTH 


227 


§  248.     Knowledge  of  Competing  Goods 

The  study  of  any  industry  must  also  include  a  knowledge 
of  rival  firms  and  their  goods.  A  careful  study  of  competing 
goods  and  methods  enables  the  salesman  to  compare  his  own 
merchandise  and  methods  with  those  of  competitors.  When 
a  favorable  comparison  can  be  made  diplomatically,  he  can 
bring  out  adequately  the  strong  points  of  his  own  line.  When 
he  notes  competing  goods  or  methods  that  are  superior  to  his 
own,  part  of  his  duty  is  to  call  the  attention  of  his  firm  to 
the  matter  with  a  view  to  the  improvement  of  its  methods. 
Many  valuable  suggestions  of  this  kind  are  frequently  received 
from  salesmen,  and  obviously  the  man  who  is  most  likely  to 
make  them  is  the  man  who  is  always  studying  and  learning. 

The  comprehensive  knowledge  referred  to  in  preceding 
sections  is  less  vital  in  the  sale  of  certain  specialties  where  the 
element  of  competition  is  not  to  be  feared.  For  instance,  the 
adding  machine  salesman  does  not  need  to  be  equipped  with 
a  knowledge  of  factory  processes  and  sources  of  raw  ma- 
terials; but  he  must  be  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  pos- 
sible use  of  his  device;  he  must  be  able  to  show  the  prospect 
how  to  derive  the  most  benefit  from  its  employment;  and  he 
must  be  acquainted  with  the  limitations  of  competing  devices. 

An  adding  machine  salesman,  when  requesting  an  inter- 
view for  the  purpose  of  demonstrating  his  machine,  was  met 
with  the  statement  that  the  firm  approached  was  considering 
the  purchase  of  a  certain  make  of  typewriter  to  which  an 
adding  mechanism  is  attached.  Not  being  familiar  with  this 
office  device,  the  salesman  was  completely  nonplused  and  was 
unable  to  point  out  why  his  own  machine  should  be  bought 
in  preference  to  the  combination  device. 

§  249.     Knowledge  for  the  Retail  Salesperson 

Among  retail  salespeople  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  goods 
is  unfortunately  the  general  rule.     Of  course  it  is  hardly  prac- 


228         THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

ticable  for  them  to  have  the  thorough  acquaintance  with  the 
various  articles  they  handle  which  is  usually  possessed  by  the 
wholesale  salesman,  since  the  latter  has  probably  spent  years 
in  studying  his  line  and  learning  everything  of  value  about  it. 
But  the  clerk  who  is  interested  and  wishes  to  succeed  in  his 
work  is  anxious  to  acquire  something  more  than  a  super- 
ficial knowledge  of  the  merchandise  he  handles.  As  empha- 
sized in  Chapter  XXI,  he  should  be  in  a  position  to  answer 
every  probable  question  and  should  always  be  able  to  volun- 
teer information  as  to  why  one  kind  of  article  is  preferable  to 
another  for  a  given  purpose. 

§  250.     Sources  of  Information 

Useful  technical  information  can  be  gained  by  the  study 
of  manufacturers'  advertisements  in  trade  and  other  maga- 
zines, by  reading  the  booklets  which  many  large  concerns  pub- 
lish  about  manufacturing  processes  and  methods,  and  by  talk- 
ing with  the  salesmen  who  call  at  the  store.  The  representa- 
tive of  the  manufacturer  is  usually  willing  and  glad  to  give  in- 
formation about  the  goods  he  handles  to  the  retail  salesman 
who  is  sufficiently  interested  to  ask  for  it. 

Another  convenient  source  of  information  regarding  the 
manufacture  of  almost  any  product  is  an  encyclopedia.  The 
salesman  who  is  keenly  anxious  to  take  an  intelligent  interest 
in  his  merchandise  cannot  do  better  than  to  build  up  a  funda- 
mental groundwork  of  information  by  studying  this  valuable 
reference  work  from  time  to  time.  If  he  wishes  to  go  deeper 
into  the  study  of  a  technical  subject,  a  public  library  will  as 
a  rule  offer  him  an  assortment  of  books  which  will  describe  in 
greater  detail  every  phase  of  manufacture  and  production. 
The  retail  clerk  should  bear  in  mind  that  if,  in  addition  to 
proving  his  ability  as  a  salesman,  he  combines  with  this  a 
comprehensive  knowledge  of  certain  kinds  of  goods,  he  is  just 
the  type  of  man  every  manufacturer  of  these  particular  lines 


KNOWLEDGE   THAT   GIVES    BREADTH 


229 


is  in  search  of  when  in  need  of  recruits  for  his  own  sales  force. 
Some  of  the  most  successful  salesmen  on  the  road  have  risen 
from  the  ranks  of  retail  salesmen  primarily  through  their 
broad  knowledge  of  the  goods  they  handle. 

§  251.     The  Acquirement  of   Knowledge  is  Always   Worth 
While 

A  young  salesman  in  charge  of  a  sporting  goods  store  be- 
came interested  in  firearms  and  began  to  study  the  history 
of  their  development.  The  more  he  studied,  the  more  fasci- 
nated with  the  subject  he  became. 

It  may  here  be  parenthetically  remarked  that  one  can 
begin  the  study  of  anything  with  the  feeling  that  the  task  is 
irksome  and  disagreeable  in  the  extreme.  But  little  by  little 
as  one  acquires  knowledge  the  task  becomes  less  and  less  irk- 
some until  the  study  of  a  subject  which  formerly  proved  tedi- 
ous and  required  a  strong  effort  of  will  becomes  a  positive 
pleasure  and  delight. 

The  salesman  soon  began  to  collect  old  arms  and  weapons, 
and  he  never  lost  an  opportunity  to  study  the  mechanism  of 
modern  guns  and  firearms.  Such  eventually  became  his  en- 
thusiasm that  for  an  hour  or  two  he  could  narrate  facts  an/ 
details  about  his  specialty  which  were  intensely  interesting  to 
the  uninitiated  listener. 

One  day  he  chanced  to  broach  his  pet  subject  to  a  cus- 
tomer, who  remained  listening  to  him  for  over  an  hour  in  the 
store.  At  the  close  of  the  interview  the  customer  asked  the 
salesman  if  he  would  be  willing  to  talk  on  the  subject  of  fire- 
arms at  a  forthcoming  church  club  meeting.  Consent  was 
gladly  given,  though  the  salesman  was  a  little  difiident  as  to 
his  ability  to  interest  an  audience  for  any  length  of  time. 

Much  to  his  surprise  the  talk,  which  was  illustrated  with 
lantern  slides,  proved  highly  successful  and  led  to  several 
other  invitations  to  speak  on  the  same  subject.     A  manufac- 


230 


THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


tiirer  of  sporting  rifles  and  ammunition  heard  of  this  young 
retail  salesman  who  so  thoroughly  knew  his  goods  and  in- 
vited him  to  the  factory.  Impressed  with  the  salesman's 
knowledge  and  the  clearness  with  which  he  expressed  him- 
self, the  manufacturer  offered  him  a  position  in  the  factory 
with  the  prospect  of  becoming  assistant  sales  manager.  The 
offer  was  promptly  accepted.  Today  that  salesman  is  draw- 
ing $10,000  a  year  as  sales  manager  of  a  big  concern. 

Sooner  or  later  the  man  who  takes  the  trouble  to  acquire 
more  than  the  average  knowledge  about  his  business  finds 
bigger  responsibilities  thrust  upon  him.  The  salesman  who 
fails  to  learn  because  he  sees  no  opportunity  to  use  the  knowl- 
edge which  he  might  acquire,  or  who  studies  only  because 
such  knowledge  is  essential  in  his  every-day  work,  remains 
in  the  ranks  of  mediocrity. 

§  252.     The  Retail  Salesman  Must  Know  His  Stock 

To  turn  from  the  general  to  the  particular,  the  fact  hardly 
seems  to  need  emphasis  that  a  retail  salesman  must  have  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  his  stock.  Yet  in  every  big  depart- 
ment store,  when  something  is  asked  for  that  is  a  little  out  of 
the  way  or  in  little  demand,  one  is  frequently  confronted  with 
a  perplexed  salesperson,  who  is  not  quite  sure  whether  that 
particular  thing  is  carried  in  stock,  and  replies,  "I  must  ask 
the  buyer."  Salespeople  of  this  type  do  not  utilize  their  spare 
moments  profitably  by  studying  and  arranging  their  stock. 
In  some  cases  they  do  not  always  know  the  different 
styles  and  sizes  of  goods  nor  can  they  place  their  hands  on 
them  immediately  when  wanted.  A  demand  for  a  certain 
article  may  necessitate  an  embarrassing  search  through  the 
shelves.  The  salesperson  who  lacks  the  small  amount  of  in- 
terest to  learn  thoroughly  the  kinds  and  sizes  of  the  stock 
on  hand  will  rarely  develop  that  additional  interest  which 
leads  to  a  store  of  interesting  and  exceptional  knowledge. 


KNOWLEDGE  THAT   GIVES   BREADTH 


231 


§  253.     Knowledge  Helps  to  Make  Sales  Talk  Interesting 

The  more  interestingly  a  salesman  can  talk  about  his 
goods,  the  easier  it  becomes  to  turn  the  customer's  interest 
into  desire.  A  fund  of  interesting  facts  is  to  be  found  in 
the  history  of  every  product.  The  furniture  salesman  who 
knows  whence  such  names  as  Adams,  Puritan,  Colonial, 
Chippendale,  Sheraton,  and  Mission  are  derived  and  what 
they  stand  for,  and  who  can  detect  the  spurious  and  the  sham, 
is  obviously  of  much  greater  value  to  his  employer,  and  has 
a  much  greater  chance  of  rising  to  an  executive  position, 
than  the  man  whose  knowledge  is  limited  to  the  fact  that  a 
certain  pattern  is  of  such  and  such  a  wood  and  style  and  sells 
for  a  certain  price.  The  furniture  trade  affords  an  oppor- 
tunity for  the  study  of  art  in  one  of  its  most  attractive  forms. 
The  salesman  might  supplement  his  knowledge  of  furniture 
by  the  study  of  decoration,  wall  papers,  color  schemes,  paints, 
varnishes,  and  everything  incidental  to  the  embellishment  and 
decoration  of  the  home.  From  the  simple  beginning  of  study- 
ing different  styles  of  furniture  to  a  fund  of  knowledge  suf- 
ficiently complete  to  build  up  a  reputation  as  an  expert  in  in- 
terior decoration  may  seem  a  far  cry;  but  the  salesman  who 
utilizes  his  spare  moments  and  leisure  hours  for  the  acquire- 
ment of  knowledge  of  this  kind  will  find  it  a  most  fascinating 
and  absorbing  study.  The  man  who  becomes  absorbed  in  any 
study  soon  becomes  an  expert. 

What  applies  to  furniture  is  applicable  to  the  sale  of  every 
other  product  which  is  of  sufficient  dignity  and  importance 
to  need  the  services  of  intelligent  salesmanship. 

§  254.  The  Use  of  Eyes  and  Ears  in  Acquiring  Knowledge 
The  emphasis  so  far  laid  upon  study  as  a  means  of  acquir- 
ing knowledge  may  create  an  erroneous  impression.  While 
the  acquirement  of  information  that  is  stored  in  the  pages 
of  books  or  periodicals  is  important,  one  must  not  overlook 


232 


THE    SALESMAN'S    TOST-GRADlfATE   COURSE 


the  fact  that  the  eyes  and  ears  are  useful  teachers.  The  sales- 
man on  the  road,  for  instance,  is  constantly  meeting  interest- 
ing people  who  have  valuable  information  to  impart.  The 
opportunity  is  always  present,  if  he  is  alert,  to  pick  up  new 
ideas,  from  either  his  own  or  another  trade,  which  with  a  little 
adaptation  can  be  utilized  by  his  house;  or  if  his  own  house 
cannot  profit  from  the  ideas  its  customers  will  probably  be  able 
to  do  so. 

The  salesman  who  keeps  his  eyes  and  ears  open  in  order 
to  find  out  and  study  hovvf  the  most  successful  men  in  his 
trade  carry  on  their  business  is  frequently  able  to  give  his 
customers  advice  and  suggestions  that  are  of  real  value.  He 
learns,  for  example,  of  a  successful  selling  plan  used  in  one 
store,  a  time-saving  accounting  system  in  another,  or  the  suc- 
cessful advertising  of  a  third.  He  takes  careful  note  of  the 
matter  and  then  he  passes  on  this  information  to  those  cus- 
tomers whom  he  thinks  most  able  to  utilize  it. 

§  255.     Summary 

No  matter  in  what  capacity  a  man  may  be  employed,  his 
special  knowledge  can  never  be  accurate  and  complete  enough 
nor  his  general  knowledge  too  extensive.  The  salesman's  work 
necessitates  meeting  both  the  expert  who  knows  all  that  is  to 
be  known  about  a  particular  subject  and  people  who  will  talk 
to  him  on  matters  of  general  interest  or  discuss  with  him 
current  events.  We  all  like  to  be  able  to  show  an  intelligent 
interest  in  any  general  subject  and  to  have  at  least  some  ac- 
quaintance with  the  principles  of  the  arts  and  the  elementary 
facts  relating  to  the  sciences.  The  acquirement  of  such 
knowledge  as  this  is  not,  of  course,  a  peculiar  requisite  of  a 
salesman,  but  it  is  advantageous  for  any  man  who  earns  his 
living  by  means  of  his  brain.  The  salesman  more  than  most 
men,  however,  needs  to  round  out  his  expert  knowledge  with  a 
fund  of  general  information. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

SELLING  AT  WHOLESALE  ILLUSTRATED 

§  256.     Introduction 

Now  that  the  advice  relating  to  the  study  of  any  sales 
proposition  and  its  practical  application  in  the  school  of  ex- 
perience has  been  completed,  this  counsel  can  with  advantage 
be  summarized  and  presented  in  graphic  form  in  a  series  of 
imaginary  interviews  or  specimen  selling  talks. 

At  the  first  reading  of  the  rules  and  principles  laid  down 
in  this  work  a  certain  degree  of  bewilderment  may  be  felt 
as  to  how  so  much  counsel  is  to  be  practically  applied.  It 
will,  however,  help  and  encourage  the  student  if  he  remembers 
that  the  art  of  salesmanship  is  in  many  respects  analogous 
to  the  art  of  the  actor.  The  performance  of  an  amateur  actor 
or  of  a  professional  who  is  new  to  the  stage  is  as  a  rule  crude, 
unpolished,  and  ineffective  compared  with  that  of  the  skilled 
professional.  A  professional  actor  develops  his  skill  and  finish 
through  careful  study  of  his  lines  and  through  attention  to 
a  multipHcity  of  detail  in  voice,  manner,  and  gesture.  The 
final  result  is  a  polished  and  convincing  performance,  which 
though  lifelike  in  every  respect,  is  still  largely  carried  out 
automatically  and  without  conscious  effort. 

The  same  observations  apply  to  the  study  and  practice  of 
salesmanship.  Like  the  finished  actor  the  salesman  must  first 
learn  his  lines.  His  talk  indeed  is  more  inclusive  than  that 
of  the  actor,  because  in  most  cases  he  must  be  his  own  play- 
wright. When  he  has  thoroughly  memorized  his  speech — 
or  rather  his  speeches,  as  explained  in  Chapter  I\^  he  must 

233 


234 


THE   SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


constantly  seek  to  embody  in  practice  day  by  day  what  he 
assiduously  learns  by  study.  In  time  the  practice  of  what 
at  first  requires  an  effort  of  will  and  of  memory  will  become 
automatic,  so  that  it  is  done  naturally  and  without  conscious 
effort. 

The  sales  talks  in  this  and  the  following  chapters  show  the 
co-ordination  of  the  different  parts  of  the  sale  from  the  intro- 
duction to  the  close,  as  already  discussed.  In  each  instance 
it  is  assumed  that  the  salesman  has  made  a  careful  preap- 
proach.  The  interviews  are  based  on  actual  sales  which  have 
come  within  the  author's  experience  and  all  embody  the  prin- 
ciples laid  down  in  this  book,  however  the  conversation  may 
seem  to  evolve  naturally  from  environment  and  from  context. 

§  257.     Characters  and  Setting 

Let  us  assume  that  the  salesman  represents  the  Line  Cut- 
lery Company,  a  small  but  growing  concern  making  a  line  of 
high-grade  table  and  pocket  cutlery.  He  calls  on  a  retail 
hardwareman,  Mr.  Brown,  a  nervous,  fussy  person  of  forty- 
five,  who  though  narrow-gauged  believes  himself  to  be  quite 
an  important  man.  A  distinguishing  trait  is  that  he  gets 
"rattled"  easily,  especially  if  called  on  to  do  two  things  at 
the  same  time.  His  business  is  large  enough  to  support  two 
assistants.  He  has  a  little  cubby-hole  of  an  office  at  the  end 
of  the  store  to  which  he  has  retired  when  the  salesman  calls 
at  the  store  at  10:30  on  a  Monday  morning.  Three  sales- 
men have  already  seen  Mr.  Brown,  with  varying  fortune. 

With  this  setting  we  will  proceed  to  develop  the  sales  talk. 
The  salesman  enters  cheerfully. 

Salesman.  [To  one  of  the  assistants.'\  Good  morning !  How 
are  you?  [Looks  up  store.l  I  see  Mr.  Brown  is  in 
his  office.     Is  he  very  busy  this  morning? 

Assistant.     About  as  usual.     Who  shall  I  tell  him  is  here? 


SELLING   AT   WHOLESALE   ILLUSTRATED 


235 


Salesman.  I  represent  the  Line  Cutlery  Company,  but  don't 
bother  to  tell  him.  I'll  wait  till  he  comes  out.  I  know  / 
don't  like  to  be  disturbed  in  the  middle  of  a  job.  [As- 
sistant goes  on  ivith  his  zvork  and  salesman  strolls  up 
to  the  cutlery  case  and  looks  it  over  carefully.  He  then 
leisurely  strolls  back  to  assistant  and  says  in  casual  tones.] 
You  have  a  good  display  of  cutlery  there.  Kept  in 
mighty  good  condition  by  someone.  Who  looks  after 
it? 

Assistant.  We  all  have  a  whack  at  it,  but  I'm  supposed  to 
look  after  it. 

Salesman.  I  notice  the  majority  of  goods  there  are  a  good 
medium-class  quality.  I  suppose  you  keep  the  best  ones 
under  cover? 

Assistant.  No,  you  see  we  don't  sell  much  of  the  high- 
priced  stuff. 

Salesman,  That's  too  bad.  The  high-grade  goods  please  the 
folks  best  in  the  long  run — and  they  pay  a  real  profit. 
Does  Mr.  Brown  stay  in  his  office  much  of  the  time? 

Assistant.  No,  he's  on  the  floor  most  of  the  time.  I'll 
tell  him  you're  here  if  you  like. 

Salesman.     No,  thanks,  I'm  not  pressed  for  time. 

[He  strolls  a^vay  and  catching  the  eye  of  the 
other  assistant  smiles  genially  and  gives  a  half  zuave  of 
greeting.  Then  he  returns  to  his  inspection  of  the  cutlery 
case. 

In  a  few  minutes  Brozvn  leaves  his  office  and 
walks  behind  the  counter  doivn  the  store.] 

Dealer.  [On  seeing  the  salesman  he  approaches  hiui.] 

Anyone  waiting  on  you? 

Salesman.  No,  Mr.  Brown,  I  was  waiting  for  you.  I  repre- 
sent the  Line  Cutlery  Company  and  have  a  few  rather 
unusual  lines  to  show  you  that  I  think  you  will  appre- 
ciate. 


236 


THE    SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


Dealer.  I  placed  an  order  only  last  week,  so  am  well 

taken  care  of  at  present. 

Salesman.  Well,  it's  a  good  .time  to  buy  with  prices  sky- 
highing  like  they  are.  Did  you  have  any  difficulty  in 
placing  an  order  for  future  delivery  at  today's  prices? 

Dealer.  I  bought  only  for  immediate  shipment.  I  don't  be- 

lieve in  tying  myself  up  with  future  shipments.  Now  I 
must  ask  you  to  excuse  me — you  know  what  Monday  is. 

Salesman.  I  expect  Monday  is  one  of  the  busiest  days  of  the 
week,  isn't  it,  Mr.  Brown  ?  I  know  I  always  have  to  cut 
short  on  time  on  Mondays.      [The  telephone  bell  rings.] 

Dealer.  I  must  answer  the  phone.     Good  day!     Some 

other  time  perhaps.  [He  goes  to  his  office.  Salesman 
stays  by  the  show  case  and  takes  out  of  his  pocket  a 
"picnic  set"  of  knife,  fork,  and  spoon  in  a  neat  leather 
case.  In  a  minute  Brozun  returns  and  says  petulantly.] 
I  can't  do  anything  for  you  this  trip,  so  won't  detain 
you  any  longer. 

Salesman.  All  right,  Mr.  Brown.  I'll  have  to  hope  for  bet- 
ter luck  next  time.  By  the  way,  I  ought  not  to  leave 
without  letting  you  see  this  profitable  novelty.  [Passes 
over  the  set  zvhich  he  has  partly  taken  from  the  case.] 

Dealer.  [Reluctantly  takes  it,  looks  at  it  ditbiously,  and 

then  says.]  Yes,  good  article,  but  it  wouldn't  interest  me 
this  time.  [Passes  it  to  salesman,  ivho,  however,  "doesn't 
see"  it,  so  buyer  leaz'es  it  on  the  sales  counter.] 

Salesman.  It's  quite  a  big  seller  for  some  reason  or  other. 
Did  you  notice  the  new  rosewood  handle  and  our  patent 
way  of  fixing  so  that  handle  and  blade  can  never  part 
company? 

Dealer.  [Picking  up  the  sample  again  with  a  little  more 

curiosity.]     What  does  it  cost? 

Salesman.  It  depends  on  the  finish,  Mr.  Brown.  There 
are  five  styles.      [Opens  grip  and  places  several  articles 


SELLING    AT    WHOLESALE    ILLUSTRATED 


237 


on  the  counter,  then  brings  out  the  other  styles  in  "picnic 
sets"  and  his  catalogue.  He  quickly  spreads  a  strip  of 
plain  dark  blue  velvet  on  the  case  and  lays  the  four  "pic- 
nic sets"  on  it.]  There,  Mr.  Brown,  they  will  tell  you 
what  they  are  better  than  I.  [Places  tzvo  by  themselves.] 
These  are  two  very  popular  numbers.  We  get  lots  of 
repeats  for  them.  The  light-handle  sets  sell  for  50  cents 
and  cost  $3.50  a  dozen;  the  dark-handle  set  sells  for  $1 
and  costs  you  $7.50  a  dozen.  Carriage  forward,  of 
course,  2  per  cent  discount  10  days.  The  profit  to  you  on 
three  dozen  of  each  is  $21.  The  discount  about  pays  the 
carriage.  Quite  a  handsome  profit  for  such  a  smart 
salable  novelty,  isn't  it,  Mr.  Brown? 

Dealer.  Yes,  the  profit's  all  right,  but  I  don't  think  I'm 
interested — excuse  me.  [Leaves  salesman  to  wait  on 
customer;  zvhile  doing  t/iis  a  case  of  goods  is  delivered. 
Brozvn  gets  excited  because  teamster  left  box  in  zcrong 
place.  After  serving  customer  returns  hurriedly.]  Can't 
give  you  any  more  time  now !     Must  see  to  that  case ! 

Salesman.  [Follozving  him  up.]  I'm  pretty  husky,  Mr. 
Brown,  better  let  me  help  you,  before  I  go.  The  boys  are 
both  busy  with  customers  I  see.  [Dealer  grudgingly  ac- 
cepts the  help.]  There!  That's  well  out  of  the  way. 
Now,  I'll  look  after  my  samples.  [Walks  tozuards  them; 
dealer  follozvs.  Salesman  drops  the  three  picnic  set 
samples  not  discussed  into  his  grip  as  if  intending  to  go. 
Then  picking  up  a  card  of  assorted  kitchen  knives  puts 
them  half  into  his  grip  zvhen,  as  if  by  afterthought, 
places  them  before  the  buyer.]  That's  a  job  line — 60 
cents  a  card — twelve  on  a  card — sell  at  ten  cents  each. 
Of  course,  at  that  price  we'll  clear  out  what  we  have  left 
this  week.    [Casually.]    Quite  a  bargain,  don't  you  think? 

Dealer.  [Picks  up  card  interestedly.]     All  the  assort- 

ments the  same  as  this? 


238 


THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


Salesman.  [Apparently  arranging  his  samples  in  his  grip.] 
Yes,  Mr.  Brown.  All  good  clean  stock  too.  We  can't 
duplicate  them.  Firm  that  made  them  gone  out  of  busi- 
ness, so  we  want  to  move  'em  quickly — hence  the  low 
price. 

Dealer.  That's  a  good  line,  but  it  isn't  worth  sending  by 

itself  so  I'll  pass  it  up.  It's  not  a  bad  line  though.  I've 
always  bought  my  kitchen  knives  and  that  sort  of  goods 
from  Ex  and  Bee,  but  somehow  was  never  quite  satisfied 
with  them.     What  kind  of  a  house  are  they? 

Salesman.  Good  people,  Mr.  Brown,  turn  out  a  reliable  line. 
By  the  way,  I'd  like  to  get  your  opinion  on  our  carving 
sets.  I  know  you  can  tell  a  good  article  when  you  see  it. 
[Opens  a  leather-covered  case  that  is  still  on  the  show 
case,  and  displays  a  handsome  stag-handle  carving  set.] 

Dealer.  My !  Those  are  nice.  I  wish  I  could  sell  goods 
as  good  as  that,  but  they  are  a  poor  lot  round  here. 
How  much  are  they  ? 

Salesman.     How  much  do  you  think? 

Dealer.  [Pursing  his  lips  and  looking  zmse.]     Well,  I 

should  say  about — that,  let  me  see — $8  ? 

Salesman.  You  certainly  valued  very  near,  Mr.  Brown. 
They  cost  you  $7.30 — just  70  cents  less  than  you  said.  I 
believe  they  would  retail  for  $12.  You've  studied  cut- 
lery, haven't  you  ? 

Dealer.  [Casually,  though  evidently  pleased.]      Oh,   I 

know  a  little  about  it. 

Salesman.     What's  the  best  quality  you  sell  now? 

Dealer.  The  best  I  carry  retails  at  $6.     I  wouldn't  dare 

keep  anything  better. 

Salesman.     Why  not? 

Dealer.  Haven't  got  enough  wealthy  people  in  town. 

Salesman.  You  have  quite  a  good  middle-class  population 
I  ilnderstand.     Not  many  really  wealthy  people  as  you 


SELLING   AT    WHOLESALE    ILLUSTRATED  239 

say.  But,  Mr.  Brown,  it  doesn't  require  wealth  to  buy 
good  table  cutlery.  We  find  an  increasing  demand  for 
"something  better"  all  the  time.  The  solid  citizen — like 
you  have  here — is  willing  to  pay  a  fair  price  for  a  good 
article  and,  as  you  know,  we  have  a  reputation  for  high 
quality. 

Dealer.  Let's  see,  what  is  the  name  of  your  firm  ? 

Salesman.     The  Line  Cutlery  Company. 

Dealer.  Never  even  heard  of  'em. 

Salesman.     Ever  heard  of  Frank  Mills  Company? 

Dealer.  No. 

Salesman.  Well,  they  are  one  of  the  largest  Sheffield, 
England,  makers  of  high-quality  cutlery.  If  you've 
never  heard  of  them  after  they've  been  in  business  over 
a  hundred  years,  it's  not  surprising  you  don't  know  us, 
who  have  been  in  existence  only  four  years.  But  you 
could  hardly  be  expected  to  know  of  us  for  until  recently 
we  dealt  in  lines  of  goods  a  little  too  high-priced  for 
you.  We  are  really  to  blame  for  not  telling  you  our 
story  sooner,  but  Mr.  Line,  the  president  of  our  com- 
pany, would  not  hire  a  salesman  until  he  had  a  complete 
line  of  goods  that  were  unexcelled  for  quality,  durability, 
and  appearance.  Just  look  at  the  beautiful  finish  on  these 
shears.  [Rolls  out  a  cloth  containing  them.] — as  bright 
and  clean  as  a  hound's  tooth.  Worth  waiting  for  a  line 
like  this,  isn't  it,  Mr.  Brown? 

Dealer.         Yes,  but  too  high-priced  for  us. 

Salesman.  Mr.  Brown,  the  average  householder  is  looking 
for  reliability  more  than  ever.  Offer  them  the  best  and 
you'll  please  the  most  fastidious  as  well  as  the  every-day 
customer.     May  I  send  you  our  new  price-list? 

Dealer.         Yes,  send  me  a  catalogue. 

Salesman.  Give  me  a  letter-head  with  the  address  in  full 
and  I'll  attend  to  it  with  pleasure.      [Places  one  or  two 


240 


THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


articles  in  grip.  Dealer  again  picks  up  the  card  of  kitchen 
knives,  looks  at  them  for  a  moment,  and  puts  them  down 
again.]  Mr.  Brown,  you'd  better  let  me  send  you  some 
of  these  job  kitchen  knives.  They  can  be  sent  with  the 
catalogue.     How  would  a  gross  be? 

Dealer.  No,  I  think  not,  you  might  send  six  dozen  if 

you  wish  to. 

Salesman.  Gladly,  Mr.  Brown,  even  a  little  order  is  very 
welcome.  We've  never  done  business  with  you  before, 
so  the  firm  will  be  delighted  to  have  your  name  on  our 
books. 

Dealer.  Yes?  Well!  I  guess  I  can  show  as  good  a 
credit  as  most  people.  Let  me  see.  Those  knives  are  60 
cents  a  dozen?  [Salesman  nods  head.]  That's  only 
$3.60.  It's  really  not  worth  bothering  with.  Guess  I'll 
pass  them  up  this  trip. 

Salesman.  These  with  a  few  of  the  "picnic  sets"  would 
make  a  handy  express  package.  Why  not  let  me  put  you 
down  for  three  dozen  of  each? 

Dealer.  No.     I  wouldn't  mind  having  one  dozen  of  each. 

Salesman.  Good.  Now,  I  know*  you  are  a  busy  man  so 
won't  keep  you  longer.  Perhaps,  however,  we  could 
look  hurriedly  over  the  catalogue  and  see  if  by  any  chance 
there  is  anything  else  that  interests  you,  [Showing  the 
catalogue  leads  to  a  feiv  additions  to  the  order.  Before 
the  salesman  is  half  way  through,  more  customers  come 
in  and  the  dealer  is  busy  for  ten  minutes.  The  salesman 
seeing  that  the  dealer  is  getting  nervous,  packs  his  grip, 
and  says.]  Good  day,  Mr.  Brown,  hope  to  see  you  again 
in  two  months.  [Leaves.  He  writes  the  dealer  the  next 
day  and  thanks  him  for  the  order,] 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A  SPECIALTY  SALE  ILLUSTRATED 

§  258.     Introduction 

Life  insurance  presents  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  all  sales 
problems  to  tackle.  It  demands  courage  and  resource,  pertin- 
acity allied  with  strongly  developed  reasoning  powers.  The 
outlay  involved  is  often  a  serious  expenditure  which  requires 
careful  consideration  before  the  responsibility  is  incurred. 
The  salesman  works  at  a  disadvantage  because  he  can  neither 
show  samples  nor  promise  an  immediate  return  in  profit. 
The  sales  talk,  or  at  least  its  opening,  must  often  be  delivered 
to  a  prospect  who  is  barely  civil.  The  presentation,  therefore, 
of  a  specimen  selling  talk  which  depicts  the  sale  of  life  in- 
surance is  both  interesting  and  helpful. 

§  259.     Characters  and  Setting 

In  the  case  taken  for  illustration  the  prospect,  James  Hart- 
ley, is  a  manufacturer  of  rolled  gold  jewelry  with  a  small 
business.  He  is  a  young  man  of  twenty-six,  married,  no 
family,  has  been  in  business  three  years  and  is  very  suc- 
cessful. He  is  a  man  of  some  social  importance,  belonging  to 
all  the  clubs  in  town ;  has  an  artistic  temperament  and  is  es- 
pecially fond  of  flowers  and  good  music.  He  is  fastidious  in 
his  person  and  affects  a  rather  bored  and  sarcastic  manner  to- 
ward strangers.  He  is  keen,  very  logical,  and  also  scrupu- 
lously fair  in  business  dealings. 

Having  discovered  the  above  data  about  his  prospect,  the 
salesman  decides  that  any  morning,  except  Saturday,  between 

2dl 


242        THE  SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

10:30  and  11:30,  will  be  the  best  time  for  his  purpose.  At 
10:30  on  a  Tuesday  morning  he  goes  to  the  factory  and  asks 
the  girl  at  the  information  window  which  is  Mr.  Hartley's 
office. 

Girl,  His  office  is  through  here,  but  you  can't  go  in 

unless  you  have  an  appointment. 

Salesman.  No,  I've  no  appointment,  but  I  think  he'll  be  glad 
I  called. 

Girl.  If  you  have  a  card  I'll  take  it  to  Mr.  Hartley. 

Salesman.  I  never  carry  them,  but  if  you'll  just  say  that 
Mr.  Harry  Brown  is  here,  it  will  be  sufficient. 

Girl.  Does  he  know  your  business?     What  do  you 

want  to  see  him  about  ? 

Salesman.  It's  a  personal  matter — nothing  to  do  with  the 
business. 

Girl.  He's    very   busy,   but    I'll    see   what    he    says. 

[Goes  to  Hartley's  private  office  and  in  a  fezv  moments 
returns  and  says.]  Have  you  an  appointment  with  Mr. 
Hartley? 

Salesman.  No,  I  did.not  bother  to  make  one,  as  I  wished  to 
see  him  only  about  ten  minutes ;  as  it  was  not  in  connec- 
tion with  his  business  I  thought  it  better  not  to  do  so. 

Girl.  Well,  Mr.  Hartley  is  very  busy,  but  if  you'll  tell 

me  what  you  want  to  see  him  about  I'll  see  if  he  will  give 
you  a  few  minutes  of  his  time. 

Salesman.  I'll  give  you  a  message  for  him  then,  if  you  think 
it  best.  Thank  you  for  the  suggestion.  [Writes  on  a 
small  sheet  of  plain  paper,  "Can  you  give  me  ten  minutes 
now?  If  not,  when  is  the  best  time  you  can  see  me — 
here,  I  mean,  not  at  the  club.  H.  Brown."]  I'll  ap- 
preciate it  if  you'll  give  him  this — don't  bother  to  put  it 
in  an  envelope. 

Girl.  [Again  disappears  in  Hartley's  office.     On  her 


A   SPECIALTY    SALE   ILLUSTRATED 


243 


return  she  says.]  Mr.  Hartley  is  very  busy,  but  if  it  is 
important  and  you  care  to  wait  he'll  see  you  as  soon  as 
he  is  at  liberty. 

Salesman.  Thank  you  for  your  trouble.  I'll  wait.  [A 
minute's  silence.]  What  a  remarkable  success  Mr.  Hart- 
ley is  making  in  his  business !  Have  you  been  with  him 
since  he  started? 

Girl.  No,  I've  been  here  only  a  year. 

Salesman.  That's  quite  a  good  time  ....  Has  he  a 
very  important  conference  on?  I  don't  want  to  hurry 
him  if  he  has. 

Girl.  No.     I  don't  think  he'll  be  long.     I  know  he  has 

an  appointment  outside  at  11:30.  [Silence  for  a  few 
minutes  when  a  buzzer  sounds.  The  girl  gets  up.]  I 
expect  Mr.  Hartley  is  at  liberty.  [She  goes  to  his  office 
and  returns.]     He  will  give  you  a  few  minutes  now. 

Salesman.  Much  obliged.  How  is  he  today?  F^r^  rushed 
with  work  or  is  he  taking  things  easy? 

Girl.  About  as  usual. 

Salesman.  [Enters  Hartley's  office.  He  places  his  hat  on 
a  chair  near  the  door  and  zvalks  toward  Hartley's  desk, 
at  which  he  is  writing.]  Good  morning,  Mr.  Hartley. 
[He  makes  a  slight  motion  as  if  to  offer  to  shake  hands, 
but  as  Hartley  continues  writing  he  turns  it  into  a  motion 
of  adjusting  his  necktie.] 

Hartley.  Good  morning.  [He  continues  writing,  while 
salesman  stands  a  short  distance  from  the  desk.]  Well? 
You  wished  to  see  me? 

Salesman.     When  you  are  at  liberty,  Mr.  Hartley. 

Hartley.       Go  ahead,  I  can  hear  you  while  I  write. 

Salesman.  My  talking  would  distract  you  somewhat  from 
your  writing,  or  else  the  writing  would  keep  your 
thoughts  from  me. 

Hartley.       I'll  take  a  chance  of  that. 


244 


THE   SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


Salesman.  Frankly,  Mr.  Hartley,  I  won't.  My  mission  is 
either  with  all  your  time  or  none. 

Hartley.  Well,  my  friend,  I  did  not  ask  you  to  call,  did 
I? 

Salesman.  No,  Mr.  Hartley,  but  you  offered  to  see  me  and 
invited  me  in  here  to  explain  my  mission. 

Hartley.  [Continues  writing  in  silence  for  a  few  seconds, 
then  puts  his  fountain  pen  on  the  desk.']  Well,  I'm 
through.  Possibly  you'll  consent  to  tell  your  story  now 
— only  please  make  it  brief.  \^Looks  at  watch.]  I've 
an  appointment  soon. 

Salesman.  I'll  keep  right  to  business.  [Walks  to  desk  and 
stands  by  Hartley,  zvho  has  to  look  up  to  him  to  see  his 
face.]  Mr.  Hartley,  I'll  keep  within  my  ten  minutes,  but  I 
want  you  to  listen  carefully  to  my  suggestion  until  I'm 
through. 

You  have  been  very  successful,  and  doubtless  will 
be  more  so.  You  are  a  young  man  to  carry  such  a  pros- 
perous business  which  your  own  individuality  and  hard 
work  has  created.  Should  anything  happen  to  you, 
which  probably  will  not  of  course,  your  business  would 
quite  possibly  go  to  pieces.  It  has  not  been  established 
long  enough  to  be  independent  of  you  and  your  manager 
may  or  may  not  understand  your  policies  sufficiently  to 
take  hold  and  run  the  business. 

Hartley.  Really — you  seem  to  be  quite  interested  in  my 
business ! 

Salesman.  I  am.  I'm  interested  in  any  business  that  gives 
me  a  chance  to  help  it  and  my  company  at  the  same 
time. 

Hartley.       And  what,  pray,  is  your  company  ? 

Salesman.     The  Zenith  Life  Insurance  Company. 
Hartley.       [Looking  salesman  up  and  dozmi.]     So,  you're 
a  life  insurance  agent,  are  you?     Well,  don't  let  me  de- 


A    SPECIALTY    SALE   ILLUSTRATED 


245 


tain  you.     I'm  not  at  all  interested.      [Reaches  to  push 
a  bell  button.] 

Salesman.  Wait,  Mr.  Hartley,  you  promised  me  ten  min- 
utes.    I've  not  had  half  of  it  yet. 

Hartley.  [Hesitates  for  a  minute,  then  evidently  his  sense 
of  fair  play  wins.]  All  right,  if  you  can  waste  a  few 
minutes,  I  guess  I  can.  [Half  hides  a  simidated  yawn.] 
Better  sit  down  while  you  are  about  it. 

Salesman.  Thank  you.  [Draws  chair  near  desk  and  sits.] 
Mr.  Hartley,  you  said  I  was  a  life  insurance  agent.  I 
am  and  proud  of  it  and  of  representing  the  Zenith.  It 
isn't  every  salesman  who  has  a  chance  to  represent  a 
$30,000,000  concern.  Here  is  my  proposition.  I  sug- 
gest you  take  out  two  policies,  A  five-year  term  policy 
for  $25,000  and  the  other  a  $25,000  twenty-year  life 
policy.     The  .... 

Hartley.       Can't  you  suggest  one  or  two  more? 

Salesman.  I  could,  but  I  would  not  be  considering  your 
interests  if  I  did. 

Hartley.       I  see.     You're  a  philanthropist ! 

Salesman.  I'm  a  business  man.  If  I  have  a  service  that 
is  valuable  to  you,  you  want  to  buy  it.  Your  own  sales- 
men sell  goods  that  their  customers  will  be  able  to  sell. 
You  know  that  you'd  be  out  of  business  in  six  months  if 
they  didn't,  I  suggest  policies  to  you  that  I  believe  will 
be  most  valuable  to  you  for  similar  reasons. 

Hartley.       Well,  tell  me  why. 

Salesman,  The  term  policy  is  the  cheapest  form  of  insur- 
ance,  you  pay  merely   for  protection.     This  costs   you 

only  $ a  year,  quite  a  nominal  sum.     Yet,  should  you 

die  within  the  five-year  period,  your  estate  gets  $25,000 
cash.  This  money  would  enable  the  business  to  tide  over 
the  slump  your  death  would  cause  and  until  a  new  man- 
agement or  organization  was  formed.    Very  small  sum  to 


246         THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE    COURSE 

pay  for  such  protection,  isn't  it?  [Hartley  half  nods  in 
agreement.^  The  other  policy  is  both  insurance  and 
investment.  In  twenty  years'  time  you  have  an  invest- 
ment of  $25,000.  After  the  third  year  the  poHcy  has  a 
cash  value  which  increases  year  by  year.  If  ever  you 
need  money  for  expansion  and  to  tide  over  depression, 
this  investment  can  be  borrowed  on. 

Hartley.  That  sounds  all  right,  but  if  I  want  money  my 
bank  will  loan  it  to  me.  As  a  matter  of  fact  I  have 
ample  funds  for  development. 

Salesman.  That's  fine,  but  you  know  that  a  rapidly  growing 
business  like  yours  can  quickly  outstrip  its  resources. 
See  how  rapidly  some  of  our  gigantic  enterprises  have 
grown  and  how  frequently  they  have  to  reorganize  on 
a  larger  scale  to  keep  pace  with  their  financial  needs. 

Hartley.  If  mine  grows  with  such  amazing  rapidity  I 
guess  a  life  insurance  policy  won't  meet  its  needs. 

Salesman.  No  indeed,  but  it  can  help  tide  over,  as  it  were. 
Another  thing — in  time  of  depression  like  we  had  in 
1907,  your  business  would  almost  cease.  Who  buys  such 
luxuries  as  jewelry,  etc.,  then?  The  banks  won't  loan 
on  future  prospects  under  these  conditions.  Your  name 
means  too  much  to  you  to  take  chances  with  it.  A  man 
who  is  so  well-known  as  you  are  has  to  be  doubly  care- 
ful. [A  street  hand-organ  begins  playing  the  latest  rag- 
time craze.']  What  an  atrocity  that  is!  There  is  so 
much  fine  music  they  could  play — and  then  to  choose 
that! 

Hartley.  I  agree  with  you  there.  That  rubbish  grates  on 
my  nerves. 

Salesman.  I  don't  wonder  at  it.  Talking  of  music,  have 
you  heard  that  wonderful  new  contralto  ....  [A  dis- 
cussion of  music  follows  in  zuhich  Hartley  is  undisguised- 
ly  interested.     Salesman  finds  it  difficult  to  reintroduce 


A    SPECIALTY    SALE   ILLUSTRATED 


247 


insurance  and  finally  does  so  by  saying.']  Mr.  Hartley, 
I've  had  my  ten  minutes.  I've  plenty  of  time,  of  course, 
but  I  won't  take  more  than  asked  for  without  your  per- 
mission. My  suggestion  in  a  nutshell  is  ...  .  [States 
the  amount  of  yearly  premium,  putting  the  figures  on 
paper  and  passing  them  to  Hartley.  Here  he  briefly  re- 
views it,  emphasizing  the  need  for  protecting  a  young 
business.]  Is  there  any  suggestion  there  that  is  not  in 
your  interest  ? 

Hartley.  No,  but  I  wouldn't  buy  without  thinking  it  over 
very  carefully.  That's  only  your  suggestion,  you  know, 
and  I  think  I  know  what's  best  for  me. 

Salesman.  Who  knows  your  goods  best?  Your  salesmen 
or  their  customers  ?  Your  salesmen  of  course.  And  are 
they  not  best  able  to  advise  their  customers  on  what  to 
buy?  That  is  my  attitude  in  respect  to  insurance.  I  act 
as  an  insurance  expert  to  many  of  your  friends.  Mr. 
Mark  of  the  Provident  Trust  Company,  Rogers  of  the 
Kiln  Lumber  Co.  [Names  a  feiv  others — prominent 
names  and  all  members  of  some  club  and  all  known  to 
Hartley.] — all  are  clients  of  mine. 

Hartley.  So?  Well,  I'll  be  my  own  insurance  expert. 
Now  I'll  bid  you  good  day.      [Rises.] 

Salesman.  That's  one  thing  you  cannot  possibly  be.  You 
can't  buy  insurance  like  butter  or  jewelry. 

Hartley.  Is  that  so?  Nevertheless,  I'll  decide  when  and 
what  I  want  without  expert  advice. 

Salesman.  [Giving  Hartley  no  chance  to  dismiss  him.]  I 
knew  a  man  once  who  tried  to  be  his  own  plumber  when 
the  pipes  froze.  After  the  stairs  were  flooded  and  a 
ceiling  fell  down  he  called  for  expert  help.  If  you're 
sick,  do  you  doctor  yourself  or  call  in  a  physician?  Do 
you  look  after  legal  matters  or  do  you  leave  them  to  your 
lawyer?     Insurance  is  in  the  same  category.     Besides. 


248        THE   SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

as  I  said  before,  you  cannot  possibly  be  your  own  in- 
surance expert. 

Hartley.       And  why  not  ? 

Salesman.  Because  you  cannot  say  whether  or  not  you  are 
eligible.  You  may  decide  to  take  a  certain  kind  of  policy 
and  then  find  no  company  can  insure  you  because  of  your 
physical  condition. 

Hartley.  Oh  well,  I  can  easily  have  my  doctor  examine 
me  and  ascertain  that. 

Salesman.  No  need  to  pay  your  doctor  to  do  it — besides, 
even  his  examination  would  not  be  accepted  by  the  com- 
pany. The  Zenith's  own  physical  examiner  must  report 
favorably  on  you  before  the  risk  is  accepted — and  you 
would  be  astonished  at  the  number  of  supposedly  healthy 
men  who  are  declined. 

Hartley.  Perhaps  you  are  right,  but  I'll  not  do  anything 
about  it  now.     You  can  call  again  after  Christmas. 

Salesman.     And  suppose  you  die  in  the  meantime  ? 

Hartley.       I'll  take  my  chances  on  that. 

Salesman.  It's  your  wife's  chances  you  take,  not  your  own. 
There  are  thousands  of  widows  working  hard  to  make 
a  bare  existence,  who  are  living  examples  of  "he  took  a 
chance — my  chance."  No,  Mr.  Hartley,  if  you  need 
insurance  you  need  it  now  more  than  later.  However, 
perhaps,  I'm  wasting  your  time.  Perhaps  you  cannot 
pass  the  physical  test.  Before  considering  any  kind  of 
policy  you  had  better  let  the  doctor  look  you  over  and 
then,  if  his  report  is  satisfactory,  the  advisability  or  other- 
wise of  certain  policies  can  be  decided.  Suppose  I  bring 
the  doctor  here  tomorrow  morning  about  this  time  and 
let  him  look  you  over  ? 

Hartley.  But  even  if  I  did  see  the  doctor  1  would  not 
promise  to  insure  with  you.  I  have  some  friends  in  the 
business  and  I  should  want  to  give  them  a  chance. 


A    SPECIALTY    SALE    ILLUSTRATED 


249 


Salesman.  Unless  they  could  give  you  something  better  than 
I  can,  you  would  let  me  be  your  insurance  broker  ? 

Hartley.       Yes,  that  is  if  I  ever  decide  to  insure  at  all. 

Salesman.  That's  all  anyone  could  expect,  Mr.  Hartley. 
Let's  first  find  out  if  you  are  insurable,  so  how  will  10:30 
tomorrow  be  to  let  the  doctor  find  out? 

Hartley.  Very  well,  but  remember,  you  do  this  on  your 
own  responsibility. 

Salesman.  That  is  quite  understood.  Now,  I'll  bid  you 
good  day.  [Hartley  offers  him  a  cigar,  they  both  "light 
up,"  shake  hands,  and  the  salesman  leaves,  having  gained 
all  he  planned  to  secure  at  that  interview.] 


CHAPTER    XXV 

A    RETAIL    SALE    ILLUSTRATED 

§  260.     Introduction 

The  following  dialogue  illustrates  the  importance  of  a 
knowledge  of  the  goods  in  making  a  retail  sale  of  any  moment. 
Like  the  talks  already  given  it  is  based  on  an  actual  sale. 
The  situation  here  presented  is  one  that  may  arise  in  the 
department  of  any  store  during  the  course  of  a  week's  work. 
The  salesman's  method  of  handling  his  customers  can  be 
studied  with  advantage  by  every  retail  salesperson.  Tact  is 
no  less  a  prerequisite  to  success  in  selling  at  retail  than  it  is 
to  success  in  selling  on  the  road. 

§  261.     Characters  and  Setting 

The  sale  takes  place  in  the  rug  department  of  a  depart- 
ment store.  A  man  and  two  women  enter.  Smith  is  rather 
vacant  looking,  thinks  he  is  funny,  and  laughs  at  his  own 
jokes.  His  wife  is  a  stolid,  slow-moving,  and  slow-thinking 
woman,  who  is  apparently  fond  of  her  husband  and  admires 
his  "humor."  The  other  woman.  Miss  Brown,  is  a  sister  of 
Mrs.  Smith.  She  evidently  dislikes  the  husband  and  is  very 
fond  of  her  sister,  who  returns  her  affection.  Miss  Brown  is 
tall,  thin,  angular,  and  makes  a  practice  of  disagreeing  with 
everything  Smith  says. 

The  salesman  sees  these  three  enter.  After  a  moment's 
pause  he  approaches  them  and,  with  a  comprehensive  glance 
that  includes  all  three,  says: 

Salesman.         Good  morning! 
Mrs.  Smith.     I  want  to  look  at  some  rugs. 

250 


A    RETAIL    SALE   ILLUSTRATED 


251 


Salesman.  Yes,  Madam,  for  which  room  did  you  want 
them? 

Mrs.  Smith.  Well,  I  wanted  something  that  I  might  use 
in  either  the  living  room  or  the  dining  room. 

Mr.  Smith.  Why  not  in  the  mushroom?  [Laughs  with 
Mrs.  Smith;  Miss  Brown  sniffs;  salesman  smiles.] 

Salesman.  [All  this  time  he  has  been  "sizing  up"  his 

customers  and  believes  that  $20  to  $2^  would  be  the  price 
they  could  pay.]  I  have  some  excellent  hard-surface  rugs 
that  I  think  will  interest  you.  They  are  so  very  service- 
able and  durable.  You  wanted  something  in  the  tan 
shades  or  something  a  little  more  of  a  mixture? 

Mr.  Smith.  Not  tan  shade.  Willie  doesn't  Hke  anything 
that  suggests  "tanning."  [Again  laughs  from  Mr.  ami 
and  Mrs.  S.  Miss  B.  mutters  "stupid"  and  glares  at 
salesman  for  saying  "That's  good"  to  Mr.  S.] 

Mrs.  Smith.  Stop  fooling,  John.  [To  the  salesman.] 
I  don't  know  what  shade  I  want. 

Miss  Brown.  [Tartly.]  Show  us  something!  Then  per- 
haps we'll  be  allowed  a  little  peace. 

Mrs.  Smith.  [To  sister.]  Oh,  Amy,  don't  mind  John, 
[Smith  grins.  ] 

Salesman.  [Speaking  to  all  three.]  I'll  run  through  this 
pile  of  rugs.  You  may  see  something  that  pleases  you. 
[He  proceeds  to  do  so.]     Here  is  an  unusual  pattern. 

Mr.  Smith.        [To  wife.]     I  like  that  one,  Mary. 

Miss  Brown.  What!  That  hideous  thing!  It  wouldn't  go 
at  all  with  the  room. 

Salesman.  [To  Miss  B.]     Are  there  any  particular  col- 

ors in  the  room  that  ought  to  be  matched  ? 

Miss  Brown.  Yes,  the  dining  room  wall-paper  is  a  kind  of 
oatmeal  shade  with  a  green  border. 

Salesman.  [Speaking  to  Miss  B.]     I  think  I  know  just 

what  you  need.     [To  all  three.]     Kindly  walk  over  here. 


252         THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE    COURSE 

I've  a  pile  of  rugs  that  will  prove  more  pleasing  than 
these  for  your  purpose.  [Gets  three  chairs  between  two 
piles  of  rugs  and  customers  sit  dozvn.'] 

Mrs.  Smith.     I  wanted  something  with  a  center  design. 

Salesman.  Yes,  Madam,  I'll  show  you  something  in  center 
designs.  Of  course,  you  know  they  are  a  little  more  ex- 
pensive. You  say  that  you  want  to  use  it  in  the  dining 
room?  [Mrs.  S.  nods.'\  If  you  have  a  center  design  the 
table  is  going  to  cover  it.  Coming  into  the  room  you 
simply  get  a  border  effect.  In  that  case,  why  not  see 
something  in  an  all-over  pattern?  You  never  get  tired 
of  them.     [Proceeds  to  show  some.'\ 

Mrs.  Smith.     How  much  is  that  rug? 

Salesman.         That,  Madam,  is  $37.50. 

Miss  Brown.     Oh,  your  rugs  are  very  high,  aren't  they? 

Salesman.  Not  for  the  quality  of  them.  Perhaps  you 
are  comparing  the  price  with  something  bought  a  year 
or  two  ago.  Rugs  unfortunately  have  advanced  in  price 
like  everything  else.  However,  the  quality  is  improved 
if  anything.  A  rug  like  this  will  wear  like  iron. 
[Turning  to  Mr.  S.]  Just  the  kind  of  rug  where  there 
are  young  boys. 

Mr.  Smith.       That's  the  kind  we  need  then. 

Miss  Brown.     Well,  I  don't  like  that  one. 

[Salesman  shozvs  several  other  rugs.  He 
discovers  that  every  time  Smith  expresses  satisfaction, 
.  Miss  Brown  disapproves.  He,  therefore,  decides  to  get 
her  opinion  first  if  possible.  Mrs.  Smith  evidently  pre- 
fers a  center  design — her  husband's  taste  runs  to  florid 
patterns,  and  consequently  Miss  B.  approves  of  neutral 
shades  and  small  neat  figures.} 

Salesman.  I  have  a  rug  in  this  pile  that  has  a  center 
design,  very  neat  but  rather  larger  than  ordinary.  I 
think  you'll  like  it.     [Shozvs  it  to  her.] 


A    RETAIL    SALE    ILLUSTRATED 


253 


Mrs.  Smith.     How  much  is  it? 

Salesman.         This  one  is  only  $32,  Madam. 

Mr.  Smith.  I  don't-  think  that  would  go  very  well  with 
the  room. 

Miss  Brown.     Why  not?    I  do. 

Mr.  Smith.  [Laughing.]  Wrong  color,  we  must  have 
something  of  the  beef  gravy  shade  so  it  won't  show  when 
you  spill  the  soup. 

Salesman.  [Smiles  slightly.     To  Miss  B.]  You  say  there 

is  a  brown  oatmeal  paper  with  green  border?  This  rug  is 
dark  brown.  A  splendid  unobtrusive  color,  isn't  it? 
[Miss  B.  nods  her  head  slightly.']  It  has  a  dark  brown 
background  and  shades  off  into  two-tone  green.  I  really 
think  that  would  match  the  wall-paper  splendidly.  [To  the 
wife.]     Don't  you,  Madam? 

Miss  Brown.  [To  Mrs.  S.]  I  really  like  that,  my  dear, 
such  excellent  style. 

Salesman.  You  are  right,  Madam,  You  see,  the  pat- 
tern is  large  enough  to  give  the  rug  a  center  design  ap- 
pearance and  small  enough  to  make  it  an  excellent  all- 
over  pattern  for  the  living  room.  You  could  use  that 
rug  as  either  a  parlor  rug  or  dining  room  rug. 

Mrs.  Smith.     Yes,  that  is  a  rather  nice  rug,  isn't  it,  John? 

Mr.  Smith.  Right  enough  I  guess,  but  I  like  something 
with  more  snap  to  it. 

Salesman.  Yes,  those  bolder  designs  are  certainly  attrac- 
tive, but  unfortunately  you  tire  of  them  quickly  as  a  rule. 

Miss  Brown.     What  kind  of  a  rug  do  you  call  that? 

Salesman.         That's  a  Wilton  velvet  rug. 

Mrs.  Smith.  Is  it  as  good  as  that  one  over  there  which  I 
liked? 

Salesman.  That  was  a  body  Brussels.  This  rug  is  equal 
in  quality  in  some  respects  to  a  Royal  Wilton,  which  is 
a  high-priced  rug.     The  only  difference  between  the  two 


254 


THE    SALESMAN'S    POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 


is  that  this  is  made  from  the  combings  of  the  high-priced 
rug.  It  is  made  from  the  shorter  nap,  but  it  is  not  quite 
as  closely  woven  as  the  Royal  Wilton  rug.  You  get  the 
same  quality  of  goods  as  you  do  in  the  high-priced  rugs 
costing  from  $60  to  $70,  but  not  as  closely  woven ;  there- 
fore it  does  not  cost  you  as  much.  The  colors  in  this 
will  last  you  fully  as  long  as  they  would  in  the  high- 
priced  rug,  because  they  are  made  from  the  same  goods. 

Mr.  Smith.  Got  a  shorter  nap.  Ha!  Ha!  I  see  I 
won't  sleep  so  long! 

Miss  Brown.  [Sharply.]  I  wish  you  would  not  let  people 
see  how  stupid  you  are!  It's  bad  enough  in  the  house, 
but  here  .... 

Mrs.  Smith.  Amy,  my  dear,  control  yourself.  John,  stop 
fooling.  [To  salesman.]  I'm  afraid  it  would  be  hard 
to  keep  clean. 

Salesman.  A  rug  like  this  is  easy  to  keep  clean,  because 
the  pile  or  nap  is  not  as  thick  as  it  would  be  in  an  Ax- 
minster  rug,  which  has  a  much  heavier  nap  into  which 
the  dirt  will  get  and  accumulate.  In  this  rug  the  dirt 
remains  on  the  surface  and  can  easily  be  cleaned  and 
swept.  [Turning  to  Miss  Brown.]  There  are  no  colors 
which  will  give  such  service  as  regards  dirt  and  dust  as 
these  tan  shades  do,  because  the  dirt  does  not  show  on 
them.  Then  you  have  contrast  in  the  rug  by  the  varia- 
tion of  these  other  colors  of  brown  and  the  shades  of 
green.  There  is  dignity  and  restraint  in  it.  [To  all  of 
them.]  Suppose  you  step  back  over  this  way.  I'll  lay 
it  out  by  itself  on  the  floor.  [While  doing  so  he  con- 
tinues.] Get  a  distant  view  of  it  as  though  you  were 
coming  into  the  room.  Doesn't  it  look  much  better  to 
you  seen  under  more  normal  conditions? 

Mr.  Smith.  Can't  say  I'm  crazy  over  it.  It's  too  dull.  It 
looks  as  if  it's  apologizing  for  itself  all  the  time. 


A    RETAIL   SALE    ILLUSTRATED 


255 


Salesman.         It  naturally  looks  quieter  here  than  in  the 
home.     When  it  has  the  furniture  on  it  the  colors  are 

going  to  show  up  splendidly. 
Mr.  Smith.        [Dubiously.]     Well,  I  don't  know. 
Mrs.  Smith       [To  Iiusband.]     Suppose  we  leave  it  for  now. 
Mr.  Smith.       [To  zuife.]     Please  yourself.     I'm  willing  to 

make  the  old  one  do. 
Miss  Brown.      [To  wife.]     I  like  that  rug,  and  you've  got 

to  have  one.     The  old  one  is  simply  disgraceful. 
Salesman.         It's  an  excellent  time  to  buy  rugs.     There  is 

every  chance  that  they  will  soon  be  worth  more  and  none 

that  they  will  go  down  in  price. 
Mr.   Smith.       Well,  if  you  women  insist  on  buying  a  rug, 

buy  one  and  put  me  out  of  misery,  but  I  tell  you  that 

$25  is  the  limit. 
Salesman.         And  you  used  to  be  able  to  get  dandy  rugs 

for  that  money,  but  not  now  unfortunately. 
Mr.  Smith.       What  is  the  rock-bottom  cash  price  for  that 

one? 
Salesman.         $32. 
Mr.   Smith.       Can't  afford  it.     I  might  spring  an  extra  five 

and  make  it  $30, 
Salesman.         I  would  like  to  do  it,  but  it's  quite  impossible. 

If  you  are  buying  some  small  article  that  soon  wears  out 

you  don't  want  to  pay  much  for  it,  but  in  buying  a  rug 

you  are  getting  something  that  is  to  last  many  years. 

Suppose  you  do  pay  a  few  dollars  more  for  a  rug  than 

you  expected.     If  you  get  five  more  years'  wear  out  of 

it,  it  is  actually  cheaper,  isn't  it? 
Mr.  Smith.        [Hesitatingly.]     Yes,  I  suppose  so,  but  .  .  . 
Miss  Brown.     I  suppose  you  won't  buy  it  because  I  like  it? 
Mrs.  Smith.     Amy,  please  don't  bother  John.     He  knows 

best. 
Salesman.         [To  Mr.  Smith.]     Let  me  send  the  rug  to 


256         ^HE   SALESMAN'S   POST-GRADUATE   COURSE 

your  home.  Our  man  will  put  it  down  for  you  and  if 
you  and  your  wife  don't  like  it  then — why,  I'll  gladly 
change  it. 

Mr.  Smith.  All  right.  [Looking  at  Miss  B.]  If  we  like 
it,  that's  all  that  matters. 

Salesman.  What  is  the  address?  [The  usual  closing  op- 
eration follows  and  the  salesman  escorts  them  to  the 
end  of  the  department. "[  Good  day!  I'm  sure  you'll  be 
more  than  pleased  with  the  rug.     It  will  be  out  tomorrow. 


PART  IV 
THE  CULTIVATION  OF  CHARACTER 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE  MAKE-UP  OF  PERSONALITY 

§  262.     The  Salesman's  Ail-Round  Development 

We  will  assume  that  the  advice  and  suggestions  given  in 
the  first  part  of  this  work  as  to  the  preparation  of  the  sales 
talk  have  been  followed.  We  will  also  assume  that  the  art  of 
playing  the  game  alertly  and  resolutely  during  the  interview 
has  been  studied  and  practiced. 

So  far  the  instruction  has  been  definite  and  related  to 
particular  things.  To  profit  to  the  full  extent  from  the 
technique  thus  acquired  entails  the  study  of  one  other  im- 
portant part  in  the  make-up  of  the  perfect  salesman.  We 
have  now  to  consider  the  general  all-round  make-up  of  the 
man  himself;  this  includes  the  development  of  all  the  powers 
summed  up  in  the  word  "personality." 

§  263.     The  Effect  of  Personality 

One  salesman  is  received  with  a  welcoming  smile  by 
3trangers  while  another  is  greeted  apathetically  or  coldly.  If 
they  are  known  to  the  customer  and  have  called  on  him  many 
times  before,  to  one  a  genial  welcome  and  an  attentive  hearing 
are  accorded,  to  the  other  an  indifferent  greeting,  with  a  half- 
concealed  desire  to  hear  what  he  has  to  say  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible— probably  with  a  view  to  a  speedy  disappearance. 

The  two  salesmen  may  be  fairly  equal  in  ability,  in  charac- 
ter, and  in  knowledge  of  their  goods.  Why  is  it  that  one  is 
granted  a  willing  and  attentive  ear,  while  the  other  meets 
with  indifference  and  even  impatience?  It  is  a  question  of 
personality.     One   salesman,   outwardly   and   subconsciously, 

259 


26o  THE    CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

impresses  you  with  the  force  or  with  the  geniality  of  his 
character.  The  appearance  and  manner  of  the  other  reveals 
no  such  compelling  or  attracting  power. 

§  264.     The  Indefinable  Thing  Termed  "Personality" 

Personality  is  difficult  to  analyze  and  define.  It  implies 
the  possession  of  certain  qualities  which  enable  one  man  to 
win  out  where  another  who  is  deficient  in  these  qualities,  be- 
cause he  has  failed  to  develop  them,  will  fail. 

Personality,  therefore,  is  more  than  mere  physical  attrac- 
tion. A  man  who  is  handicapped  by  his  appearance  or  his 
lack  of  inches  may  still  impress  others  with  his  personality. 
Personality  is  the  blending  of  several  positive  attributes  such 
as  enthusiasm,  sincerity,  earnestness,  tact,  health,  vitality,  and 
so  on.  These  attributes  taken  together  round  out  the  man 
and  form  a  character  that  mstinctively  we  like,  admire,  and 
trust. 

A  man  whose  positive  traits  are  developed  into  a  strong 
personality  will  do  far  more  with  a  given  situation  than  a 
man  who  has  made  no  conscientious  effort  to  develop  his 
powers  in  general.  The  man  with  a  personality  inspires  con- 
fidence. We  are  ready  to  believe  what  he  has  to  say.  The 
salesman  who  has  developed  his  mental  and  moral  qualities  so 
that  they  are  reflected  in  his  words  and  in  the  truth  and 
clarity  of  his  statements,  is  able  to  impress  others  with  the 
force  of  his  character.  He  can  handle  many  a  difficult  situa- 
tion with  success  where  the  man  whose  personality  is  merely 
negative  or  undeveloped  will  fail. 

The  all-round  cultivation  of  personality  is  thus  an  im- 
portant part  of  every  salesman's  study  and  preparatory  work. 
If  you  "mean  business"  and  want  to  be  learning  and  improv- 
ing all  the  time,  the  study  is  essential.  Only  the  man  who 
persistently  seeks  out  his  weaknesses  and  strives  to  eradicate 
them  by  the  development  of  positive  traits,  working  during 


THE   MAKE-UP    OF   PERSONALITY  261 

his  "off"  hours  as  well  as  when  on  duty,  can  hope  to  climb 
high  in  the  ranks  of  salesmanship. 

§  265.     How  Personality  Can  be  Developed 

You  will  readily  acknowledge  that  so  far  as  outward  ap- 
pearance is  concerned  your  personality  is  largely  under  your 
own  control.  You  will  also  concede  that  your  general  manner 
— the  self-control  and  courtesy  of  your  bearing,  the 
tone  of  your  voice,  the  tact  you  show  in  not  openly  contra- 
dicting a  customer  and  in  avoiding  topics  which  irritate  or 
antagonize — these  important  points  which  help  to  make  up  a 
pleasing  personality,  are  also  under  your  control.  Can  you 
not  go  further?  As  you  think  the  matter  over  will  you  not 
admit  that  other  traits  which  reflect  inward  personality  or 
character  are  in  their  expression  and  development  almost,  if 
not  quite,  as  much  under  your  control  as  these  superficial 
traits  of  manner  and  appearance? 

If,  therefore,  you  can  improve  and  develop  your  person- 
ality by  the  care  and  attention  which  you  pay  to  outward  and 
plainly  visible  things,  why  can  you  not  improve  and  develop 
your  character  by  the  care  and  attention  you  pay  to  those 
things  which  help  to  mold  and  form  the  inner  man? 

§  266.     Why  the  Study  of  Personality  Comes  Last 

The  discussion  of  the  development  of  personality  in  the 
salesman's  general  training  has  been  reserved  until  the  study 
of  definite  technical  matters  has  been  completed.  This  seems 
the  best  arrangement  for  two  reasons. 

After  the  salesman  has  acquired  a  technical  knowledge  of 
the  details  of  his  business  and  has  had  frequent  opportunity 
to  put  the  theoretical  side  of  his  study  into  actual  practice, 
he  is  better  able  to  appreciate  the  important  part  that  person- 
ality plays  in  salesmanship.  He  needs  the  school  of  ex- 
perience to  reveal  to  him  his  weaknesses  and  strength.     To 


262  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

consider  the  development  of  personality  as  the  first  step  in 
the  study  of  salesmanship  before  the  student  has  acquired  a 
rudimentary  knowledge  of  what  this  study  and  practice  entails, 
would  be  very  much  like  erecting  a  large  and  handsome  flight 
of  steps  leading  to  the  porch  of  a  house  before  the  construc- 
tion of  the  building  itself. 

The  study  of  personality  should  also  be  left  as  the  final 
chapter  in  the  salesman's  education  because  personality  is  an 
all-inclusive  term.  If  taken  up  analytically,  it  might  be  sub- 
divided into  hundreds  of  traits.  To  treat  the  subject  in  that 
way  would  be  interesting  for  the  reader,  but  the  salesman 
would  not  find  it  very  helpful  as  a  course  of  practical 
study  which  he  might  definitely  apply.  Indeed,  such  a  method 
of  treating  the  subject  would  be  positively  confusing  for  the 
man  in  search  of  concrete  advice  and  definite  suggestions  as 
a  guide  to  the  development  of  his  own  personality. 

A  preferable  course,  and  the  one  here  adopted,  is  to  sum- 
marize the  subject  in  a  few  main  points,  which,  when  taken 
together  will  be  found  to  cover  the  whole  case.  Then  the 
student  is  in  a  better  position  to  see  the  relationship  of  these 
main  points  to  the  whole  subject  and  to  work  each  out  sys- 
tematically and  in  detail. 

§  Z67.     How  to  Make  the  Study  Practical 

To  make  the  advice  of  practical  value  an  attempt  is  made 
to  present  it  in  a  form  that  will  enable  the  salesman  to  map 
out  a  definite  course  of  procedure.  This  course  will  as  in- 
fallibly lead  to  the  improvement  of  his  own  personality  in 
those  traits  in  which  he  is  weakest,  or  which  as  yet  are  un- 
developed, as  a  course  of  instruction  in  swimming  if  perse- 
veringly  practiced  will  lead  to  the  acquirement  of  the  art. 

The  development  of  personality  is  considered  in  six 
chapters  under  the  same  number  of  heads.  First  in  importance 
comes  enthusiasm.     Enthusiasm  is  the  steam  that  drives  the 


THE   MAKE-UP    OF    PERSONALITY  263 

engine — the  yeast  that  leavens  the  mass  of  dough.  En- 
thusiasm, however,  may  run  to  waste,  or  unless  supported  by 
the  habit  of  industry,  it  may  die  down.  The  next  chapter, 
therefore,  deals  with  the  acquirement  of  the  habit  of  industry. 

However  enthusiastically  and  industriously  a  salesman 
may  work,  much  of  his  effort  is  marred  if  he  neglects  certain 
little  things  in  dress,  speech,  manner,  and  deportment.  Super- 
ficially these  may  seem  unimportant,  but  if  ignored  they  may 
and  often  will  prove  a  severe  handicap.  In  consequence  the 
study  of  these  minor  details  must  form  part  of  the  study  of 
personality.  This  naturally  leads  to  the  consideration  of  man- 
ners and  courtesy  in  a  separate  chapter. 

As  the  salesman  acquires  the  habit  of  industry,  works  with 
enthusiasm,  and  strives  to  apply  the  theory  of  his  study  in 
his  practical  work  day  by  day,  insensibly  he  will  be  developing 
that  side  of  his  character  which  reveals  itself  in  the  two  essen- 
tial attributes  of  salesmanship — courage  and  tact. 

Courage  is  largely  founded  on  confidence  in  one's  self 
and  belief  in  one's  ability  to  cope  with  any  situation.  Courage, 
therefore,  grows  with  experience.  Tact  is  a  sensitiveness  to 
moods  and  impressions  and  the  effect  of  one's  words  and 
actions  on  others.  When  tact  is  lacking  it  can  be  developed 
only  in  the  field  of  experience.  Therefore  the  systematic 
methods  of  conscious,  deliberate  acquirement  which  apply  to 
the  traits  already  mentioned  do  not  apply  so  well  to  these  two 
ultimate  characteristics  of  the  man  who  wants  to  climb  high. 

If  you  study  the  theory  of  the  subject,  however,  and 
steadily  put  into  practice  the  advice  that  you  find  suitable  to 
a  given  case,  you  will  find  yourself  gradually  developing  these 
characteristics  of  courage  and  tact  which  are  the  distinguishing 
marks  of  the  man  engaged  in  the  higher  flights  of  salesman- 
ship. The  development  of  these  two  attributes  summarizes, 
in  a  sense,  everything  that  is  covered  in  this  or  any  other 
treatise  on  salesmanship. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

THE  LEAVEN  OF  ENTHUSIASM 

§  268.     "Pep  and  Ginger"  the  Sparkle  of  Salesmanship 

Just  about  50  per  cent  of  all  big  successes,  whether  in 
business,  art,  science,  or  politics,  can  be  attributed  to  enthusi- 
asm. The  salesman  who  wishes  to  climb  and  to  climb  high 
must  be  enthusiastic  about  his  work.  He  must  be  brimful  of 
"pep"  and  "ginger."  When  he  lacks  this  enthusiasm  or  this 
"pep,"  he  is  like  an  unpolished  diamond — he  lacks  sparkle. 

Enthusiasm  is  the  quality  that  makes  a  man  express  his 
belief  with  the  intense  earnestness  and  sincerity  needed  to 
carry  conviction.  The  man  who  is  enthusiastic  simply  bub- 
bles over  with  his  belief  in  himself,  his  goods,  and  the  ad- 
vantages of  his  offer.  Consequently  the  first  and  the 
most  important  of  all  requisites  for  the  salesman  who  wants 
to  work  with  full  efficiency  is  to  believe  enthusiastically  in 
himself  and  in  the  merits  of  his  proposition. 

§  269.     The  Contagious  Effect  of  Enthusiasm 

Enthusiasm  is  effective  first  because  of  its  psychological 
effect  upon  the  salesman,  and  second  because  this  effect  re- 
acts in  many  ways  upon  the  customer.  Enthusiasm  is  con- 
tagious. The  "live  wire"  who  is  brimming  over  with  "pep" 
can  pass  along  his  enthusiasm  just  as  a  live  electric  wire  car- 
ries along  a  current  of  electricity.  When  we  earnestly  be- 
lieve a  thing,  whether  or  not  others  can  share  in  our  belief, 
at  least  they  are  impressed  with  our  earnestness.  The  sales- 
man who  is  alive   with  enthusiasm  can  make  contact  with 

264 


THE   LEAVEN   OF   ENTHUSIAS!^! 


265 


even  the  customer  who  is  a  habitual  grouch.  However  hard 
a  nut  to  crack  any  man  may  be,  he  is  insensibly  affected  by 
another's  enthusiasm  and  belief  in  himself. 

§  270.     Enthusiasm  Breaks  Down  Opposition 

The  following  episode  illustrates  the  effect  of  enthusiasm 
on  others: 

A  salesman  handling  an  expensive  line  of  calendars  called 
on  a  retail  grocer  who  made  a  practice  of  giving  away  this 
kind  of  advertising  at  Christmas  time.  The  time  of  the  sales- 
man's call  was  early  in  July.  When  he  explained  his  mis- 
sion the  grocer,  who  was  evidently  in  an  irritable  mood, 
snapped  out,  "Don't  waste  your  time  and  mine.  I  have  made 
up  my  mind  not  to  think  of  calendars  for  three  months. 
There  is  nothing  doing — absolutely  nothing!" 

"But  ..."  said  the  salesman. 

"It's  no  use,"  interrupted  the  grocer.  "I  tell  you  I  have 
made  up  my  mind.  You  are  about  the  sixth  calendar  man 
who  has  been  worrying  me  this  week.     Get  out!" 

The  angry  tone,  not  to  say  rudeness,  of  the  dealer  pro- 
duced no  outward  effect  on  the  salesman. 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Jones,"  he  coolly  and  persistently  replied. 
"we  will  talk  about  the  order  later.  There  is  just  one  thing 
I  want  to  say  with  your  permission.  If  I  were  a  retailer  like 
yourself,  and  wanted  to  give  my  customers  the  smartest  cal- 
endar I  could  find  and  the  salesman  didn't  give  me  a  chance 
to  see  his  full  selection,  I  should  feel  that  I  had  not  been 
treated  squarely.     Wouldn't  you  if  you  were  in  my  shoes?" 

The  dealer  w^s  forced  to  concede  that  he  would  feel 
offended  with  this  treatment. 

"Now,  Mr.  Jones,  you  may  not  know  it,  but  I  am  more 
enthusiastic  about  the  designs  I  have  in  my  sample  case  than 
about  anything  I  have  ever  shown  to  you.  You  know  that 
as  the  season  advances  certain  designs  have  to  be  withdrawn 


266  THE   CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 

when  all  the  calendars  that  can  be  produced  from  them  in 
time  for  Christmas  are  sold.  It  would  never  do  to  sell  the 
same  calendar  to  two  or  three  dealers  in  the  same  town.  If 
you  wait  until  October  before  seeing  the  designs,  the  most 
popular  and  therefore  the  most  desirable  will  already  have 
been  selected  by  the  early  birds. 

"Mr.  Jones,  why  not  be  the  early  bird  that  catches  the 
proverbial  worm?  In  your  own  interest  I  want  you  to  see 
what  splendid  novelties  I  have,  and  I  want  you  to  look  at 
them  now.  Then  if  any  particular  one  interests  you,  I  will 
hold  it  for  you  until  October,  when  you  can  give  me  your 
order  and  instructions  as  to  printing.  If  I  can  save  an  es- 
pecially attractive  calendar  for  you  that  otherwise  you  would 
miss,  I  believe  you  will  thank  me  for  my  insistence  at  this 
time.  I  am  dead  sure  I  have  the  pick  of  this  year's  designs 
with  me  now.  They  are  simply  splendid.  Three  months 
later  I  shouldn't  be  half  so  enthusiastic  about  my  line." 

"All  right,"  said  the  grocer  grudgingly,  "I  will  look  at 
your  samples;  but,  understand,  I  will  not  buy  today." 
"That's  understood,"  answered  the  salesman. 

An  inspection  of  the  designs  revealed  one  calendar  which 
especially  appealed  to  the  grocer.  "That  certainly  is  un- 
usual," he  said  with  interest. 

"Yes,"  said  the  salesman,  "that  design  has  already  proved 
so  popular  that  I  know  it  will  have  to  .be  withdrawn  before 
the  end  of  this  month.  By  the  way,  how  many  calendars  do 
you  use  every  year,  Mr.  Jones?" 

"About  five  thousand." 

"Well,  why  not  let  me  reserve  five  thousand  for  you. 
Don't  bother  about  the  order  until  you  are  ready." 

The  salesman  left  with  a  signed  order  and  all  instructions 
as  to  printing,  delivery  to  be  made  in  November.  Only  his 
own  enthusiastic  belief  in  the  merits  of  his  designs  enabled 
him  to  arouse  the  desire  to  inspect  his  samples. 


THE    LEAVEN    OF   ENTHUSIASM 


267 


§  271.     The  Effect  of  Enthusiasm  upon  Temperament 

Enthusiasm  has  a  beneficial  effect  upon  temperament  as 
well  as  upon  manner.  It  keeps  a  man  going.  It  cranks  the 
machine  and  gives  him  faith  that  he  can  do  what  he  sets  out 
to  do.  Difficulties  loom  large  when  we  are  tired,  indolent,  or 
timid.  But  enthusiasm  wakes  us  up  and  we  brush  the  ob- 
stacles aside. 

Part  of  every  salesman's  difficulty  is  his  own  feeling  to- 
wards his  prospects.  He  may  feel  doubtful  of  success  or  he 
may,  because  of  his  apathetic  interest  in  his  job,  be  unsympa- 
thetic, contemptuous,  or  careless.  If  one  is  governed  by  any 
of  these  feelings,  it  is  hard  to  create  a  chord  of  sympathy 
or  interest  and  thus  hold  the  attention  of  others.  A  salesman 
who  is  in  any  of  these  moods  dissipates  his  resources.  The 
man  who  is  enthusiastic  conserves  his  powers  and  applies 
them  with  a  concentrated  will  to  succeed  that  inspires  confi- 
dence in  others. 

§  272.     Loyalty  and  Belief  in  One's  House 

Another  aspect  of  enthusiasm  is  loyalty.  To  remain  loyal 
to  the  house  he  represents,  a  salesman  must  have  confidence 
in  its  integrity  and  belief  in  its  methods.  A  man  whose  en- 
thusiasm in  his  work  is  founded  on  this  belief  will  find  it 
easy  and  natural  to  be  loyal  to  his  house  in  word  and  deed. 

To  enjoy  this  belief,  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  associated 
with  the  most  important  or  the  best  known  house  in  the 
trade;  providing  a  concern  treats  its  men  fairly  and  squarely 
and  is  honest  in  the  statements  it  makes  about  the  goods  they 
handle,  the  house  will  merit  their  confidence  and  belief  in  its 
integrity.  The  salesman's  faith  in  the  house  he  represents 
and  in  its  ideal  will  then  react  favorably  upon  his  enthusiastic 
belief  in  himself  and  his  offer. 

It  is  true  that  many  a  salesman  represents  a  house  which 
merits  his  loyalty  and  yet  fails  to  reveal  this  fine  trait.     Such 


268  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

a  man  does  not  ring  true.  His  character  in  some  way  is 
warped.  If  his  firm  feels  that  he  lacks  loyalty,  no  reliance 
will  be  placed  in  him  and  no  important  executive  position 
will  be  open  to  him,  however  brilliant  he  may  be.  Enthusi- 
astic loyalty  is  an  essential  trait  which  as  a  rule  distinguishes 
the  man  who  rises  to  a  position  of  any  responsibility.  It  is 
equivalent  to  the  citizen's  patriotic  devotion  to  his  country. 
The  man  who  lacks  loyalty  is  a  traitor  to  his  trade. 

§  273.     Example  of  the  Result  of  Loyalty 

A  traveling  salesman  representing  a  glue  house  was  ap- 
proached by  the  sales  manager  of  a  competing  firm  just  before 
starting  on  one  of  his  periodical  trips.  The  sales  manager 
ofifered  him  a  position  at  a  considerable  advance  in  salary, 
provided  he  would  leave  his  present  firm  at  once  and  cover 
the  same  territory  for  the  competing  concern. 

"I  appreciate  your  offer,"  said  the  salesman.  "Naturally 
I  want  to  make  as  much  money  for  myself  as  I  can,  but  it 
would  not  be  fair  to  my  house  to  leave  it  at  a  minute's  notice 
and  under  such  conditions." 

The  sales  manager  increased  the  offer,  but  the  salesman 
refused  to  consider  it  under  the  conditions  attached  thereto. 
He  wanted  a  bigger  salary,  but  he  declined  to  do  anything 
that  was  disloyal  to  his  present  firm.  So  without  discussing 
the  matter  any  further  by  making  an  alternative  suggestion, 
he  started  on  his  trip. 

In  due  time  he  returned  from  a  successful  journey.  On 
entering  the  factory  he  was  called  into  the  president's  ofiice 
and  his  chief  said  to  him: 

"I  am  very  glad  you  declined  the  offer  you  received  be- 
fore you  started  out  on  your  last  trip.  Your  work  has  been 
excellent;  you  have  shown  unusual  ability — so  much  so  that 
we  had  you  in  mind  for  an  important  position.  The  present 
sales  manager  retires  in  a  year's  time  and  I  wanted  you  to  be 


THE    LEAVEN    OF    ENTHUSIASM 


269 


his  assistant  with  the  idea  of  taking  over  his  duties  when  he 
retires. 

"Before  making  you  this  offer  we  decided  to  test  your 
loyalty  to  us.  However  brilliant  a  man  may  be,  he  is  no 
good  to  us  unless  absolutely  loyal.  So  I  arranged  with  my 
friend  Mr.  Simpson  to  make  you  the  offer  which  he  did." 

§  274.     Loyalty  Must  be  Revealed  in  Little  Things 

Many  a  man  will  remain  loyal  to  the  house  in  big  things 
and  still  fail  to  reveal  that  breadth  of  character  which  is  shown 
in  loyalty  in  little  things.  It  is  disloyal  to  complain  to  out- 
siders, for  instance,  about  the  rules  and  policies  of  a  concern, 
to  criticise  its  methods,  or  to  air  an  opinion  as  to  one's  own 
worth  and  its  lack  of  recognition  by  the  house.  A  loyal  em- 
ployee never  does  anything  to  injure  his  firm's  best  interests, 
even  though  to  do  so  may  appear  to  be  to  his  advantage.  A 
salesman  is  paid  not  only  for  his  time  and  efforts,  but  for  his 
faithfulness  to  the  house  he  serves.  Unless  a  man  has  that 
enthusiastic  belief  in  the  policy  of  his  house  as  a  whole  which 
tends  to  develop  the  spirit  of  loyalty,  he  should  seek  another 
connection  in  which  this  spirit  will  find  freer  play. 

§  275.     Hov(7  to  Develop  Enthusiasm 

In  generating  the  driving  force  of  enthusiasm  the  first 
requisite  is  for  the  salesman  to  enjoy  his  work  and  to  throw 
himself  eagerly  into  the  game.  The  secret  of  eagerness  and  en- 
joyment of  work  lies  in  interest,  and  interest  is  dependent 
upon  study  and  analysis.  The  more  the  salesman  studies  the 
business  side  of  his  particular  sphere  of  work  and  analyzes 
his  offer,  the  more  interested  will  he  become  in  his  job,  and 
the  more  eager  will  he  be  to  put  to  practical  test  the  theories 
he  has  worked  out  in  his  own  mind. 

When  a  man  works  because  he  enjoys  working  and  not 
merely  to  earn  so  much  a  week,  failures  never  dampen  his 


270  THE    CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

enthusiasm.  He  analyzes  his  failures,  he  studies  their  causes, 
and  he  enthusiastically  looks  out  for  another  opportunity  to 
succeed  where  formerly  he  failed.  The  salesman  who  does 
not  enjoy  his  daily  job  works  under  low  pressure  and  lacks 
those  few  extra  pounds  of  steam  which  will  help  carry  him 
over  many  a  steep  peak. 

§  276.     Enthusiasm  the  Fruit  of  Confidence  and  Belief 

The  salesman  who  lacks  confidence  in  the  merits  of  his 
offer  can  never  be  really  enthusiastic.  When  the  customer 
raises  objections  and  mentions  the  advantages  of  competing 
goods  he  feels  discouraged.  Many  prospects  are  not  inter- 
ested in  the  offer;  others  are  impatient  and  brusque  at  the 
opening  of  the  interview ;  others  again  declare  that  they  know 
nothing  about  the  product,  don't  care  to  know,  and  wouldn't 
buy  if  they  did — for  reasons  which  they  explain  in  more  or 
less  detail.  The  salesman  must  have  the  utmost  confidence 
in  the  merits  of  his  proposition  and  the  firm  he  represents, 
if  he  is  to  face  buyers  of  this  type  with  the  serene  enthusiasm 
that  can  alone  break  down  opposition. 

To  have  confidence  in  himself  and  to  believe  enthusias- 
tically in  his  offer,  the  salesman  must  have  more  than  a 
superficial  acquaintance  with  the  advantages  of  his  proposi- 
tion; he  must  be  immensely  interested  in  every  detail  from 
every  point  of  view — whether  of  service,  utility,  or  the  pleas- 
ure which  can  be  derived  from  its  use.  If  his  goods  have  a 
style  or  fashion  appeal,  he  must  take  sufficient  interest  in  the 
artistic  side  of  his  wares  to  become  enthusiastic  about  these 
special  points  of  merit.  If  his  goods  appeal  on  the  score  of 
serviceability,  he  must  be  so  interested  in  their  mode  of  manu- 
facture and  the  quality  of  their  material  that  he  is  able  to  ex- 
plain enthusiastically  why  they  will  render  exceptional  service. 
In  short,  the  more  interested  he  is  in  every  detail  and  the 
more  anxious  he  is  to  ferret  out  "reasons  why"  differences  in 


THE    LEAVEN    OF    ExNTHUSIASM  271 

style  and  quality  exist,  the  more  enthusiastic  will  the  sales- 
man tend  to  become  when  explaining  their  merits. 

§  277.     The  Reaction  of  Industry  on  Enthusiasm 

The  salesman  who  works  with  enthusiasm  is  like  a  com- 
pound reciprocating  engine.  His  enthusiasm  does  not  run  to 
waste.  It  reacts  upon  his  work  habit.  The  more  pleasure 
he  derives  from  his  daily  task,  the  more  anxious  he  is  to  get 
to  his  job.  Half-hearted  interest  and  a  desire  to  quit  work 
as  soon  as  a  reasonable  excuse  can  be  made,  vanish  under  the 
spell  of  enthusiasm.  Thus  the  harder  a  man  works  the  more 
enthusiasm  he  generates,  and  this  enthusiasm  again  tends  to 
keep  him  continually  on  the  job  until  the  "live-wire"  work 
habit  becomes  second  nature. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  HAPPY  HABIT  OF  INDUSTRY 

§  278.     Industry  the  Fly- Wheel  of  Enthusiasm 

Importan't  as  is  enthusiasm  in  a  salesman's  make-up  it  is 
well  to  remember  that  no  man  can  work  under  full  steam  pres- 
sure all  the  time.  Enthusiasm  cannot  always  be  kept  up. 
Success  itself  inevitably  brings  reaction.  Outside  circum- 
stances, such  as  the  weather  or  local  conditions,  may  be  un- 
favorable. The  energy  which  is  based  chiefly  on  enthusiasm 
is  for  these  reasons  uneven  and  not  always  to  be  relied  upon. 

Many  a  salesman  is  enthusiastic — but  only  in  spurts  and 
splashes.  His  enthusiasm  is  never  sustained  for  long.  It 
reaches  high  water  mark  after  one  or  two  successful  sales  but 
after  a  few  failures  it  begins  to  fall.  Then  if  it  happens 
to  be  a  rainy  day  or  if  he  does  not  feel  in  the  mood  for  work, 
his  enthusiasm  sinks  to  zero. 

The  governor  of  the  fly-wheel  of  enthusiasm,  which  will 
control  it  and  drive  it  at  a  steady  pace  all  the  time,  is  the 
habit  of  industry. 

§  279.     The  Effect  of  Industry  upon  Temperament 

Enthusiasm  can  be  steadily  and  persistently  generated  only 
when  it  is  supported  by  an  acquired  habit  of  work.  The  first 
effect  of  this  habit  is  that  it  teaches  one  to  give  concentrated 
attention  to  the  task  in  hand  and  keeps  one  from  being  dis- 
tracted by  any  outside  influences.  A  postman  hardly  notices 
the  weather.  He  wouldn't  think  of  delaying  the  delivery  of 
the  mail  because  it  happened  to  be  raining.  A  man  accustomed 
to  a  noisy  office  works  at  his  desk  unaware  of  the  noise  around. 

272 


THE   HAPPY    HABIT    OF    INDUSTRY 


273 


When  a  salesman  has  acquired  the  habit  of  industry,  out- 
side influences,  whether  favorable  or  unfavorable,  affect  him 
but  little.  Some  days  will  have  their  disappointments  and  dis- 
illusions; others  will  be  more  successful  than  the  average. 
Both  tend  to  produce  corresponding  feelings  of  depression  or 
elation.  Some  men,  for  example,  are  apt  to  relax  after  any 
success  and  take  it  easy  for  a  while ;  others  lose  their  nerve  and 
slow  down  if  things  do  not  go  their  way.  If  the  habit  of 
industry  has  schooled  the  salesman  to  stick  to  a  regular  day's 
routine,  good  or  bad  fortune  are  all  the  same  to  him.  He 
keeps  pegging  away  all  the  time. 

A  salesman  will  never  make  the  most  of  his  opportunities 
and  pile  success  upon  success,  until  he  acquires  the  same  habits 
of  regular  and  punctual  work  that  are  required  and  insisted 
upon  in  every  well-disciplined  office,  factory,  or  other  organ- 
ization. 

§  280.     Where  Lack  of  Self-Discipline  Proved  Fatal 

A  salesman  received  a  telephone  call  at  his  hotel  from  the 
leading  jeweler  in  the  town  he  was  visiting  and  from  whom  he 
had  that  day  received  an  order.  The  message  requested  him 
to  be  at  the  jeweler's  store  promptly  at  8:30  the  following 
morning.  The  representative  replied  that  he  would  certainly 
be  there  at  that  time. 

At  8:25  on  the  next  morning  he  was  still  finishing  his 
breakfast.  While  eating,  his  thoughts  ran  something  like  this: 
"There's  no  great  hurry;  he  has  ordered  all  the  goods  he 
needs ;  he  doesn't  usually  get  down  to  the  store  until  9  o'clock, 
so  there's  plenty  of  time." 

The  salesman  arrived  at  the  store  at  10  minutes  to  9.  As 
he  entered,  the  jeweler  merely  nodded  to  the  greeting  of  "Good 
morning!"  His  manner  and  silence  perplexed  the  salesman, 
who  opened  the  interview  with  the  query: 

"Well,  what  is  it  you  wish  to  see  me  about  this  morning? 


274 


THE    CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 


Everything  was  all  right  in  the  order  you  gave  me  yesterdav. 
I  hope." 

"I  don't  want  to  see  you  now,"  replied  the  jeweler. 

"But  you  rang  me  up  last  night  and  asked  me  to  be  down 
here  this  morning,"  expostulated  the  salesman. 

"Yes,  I  did,"  was  the  answer,  "and  I  asked  you  to  be 
here  at  8:30.  A  cousin  from  Minneapolis  wanted  to  order 
some  of  those  rings  I  bought  from  you  yesterday.  He  had 
to  catch  the  9  o'clock  train  out  of  town  and  he  has  already 
left.  As  you  were  not  here  for  your  appointment,  we  con- 
cluded you  didn't  want  the  order." 

"But,  I  didn't  know  you  wanted  to  give  me  an  order," 
replied  the  salesman.  "If  you  had  said  so  over  the  phone,  I 
would  have  made  a  point  of  being  here  on  time." 

"Yes,  I  understand,"  replied  the  jeweler.  "You'll  be  here 
on  the  minute  if  it's  to  your  advantage.  But,  if  you  don't 
think  it  is,  then  the  appointment  has  no  value  in  your  eyes. 
Don't  trouble  to  call  here  again." 

A  lucrative  connection  was  thus  broken. 

The  salesman  who  seriously  wants  to  acquire  the  right 
work  habit,  which  includes  punctuality  and  strict  attention  to 
business  appointments,  must  discipline  himself.  He  then 
tends  to  be  less  unstable ;  his  temperament  becomes  more  even ; 
and  he  produces  energy  at  much  less  cost  than  the  individual 
who  relies  largely  upon  spurts  of  enthusiasm.  When  the 
habit  of  industry  is  acquired  it  is  natural  to  be  punctual  and 
to  do  the  thing  promised.  The  industrious  man  does  quietly 
and  efficiently  what  would  require  a  big  effort  of  will  and  a 
good  deal  of  fuss  if  one  were  without  this  wholesome  habit. 

§  281.     The  Importance  of  the  Work  Habit  in  Salesmanship 

For  the  salesman  the  habit  of  industry  is  especially  im- 
portant, because  he  usually  lacks  the  moral  support  of  working 
with    associates    and    under    immediate    supervision.     The 


THE   HAPPY    HABIT    OF    INDUSTRY  275 

man  who  is  paid  on  commission  is  apt  to  excuse  himself  for 
not  adhering  to  regular  hours  of  work  on  the  score  that  he  is 
his  own  master.  This  type  of  salesman  comes  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  is  hopeless  to  call  on  customers  before  10 
o'clock,  because  they  are  invariably  occupied  with  their  cor- 
respondence; for  similar  reasons  he  cannot  call  after  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon;  while  to  try  to  work  on  Saturday  morning 
is  a  sheer  waste  of  time. 

Lacking  the  habit  of  regular  work  and  regular  hours  he 
Is  continually  making  excuses  to  himself  for  not  working.  In 
consequence  the  driving  force  that  impels  him  to  stick  to  his 
daily  task  is  that  of  a  time  server  who  works  just  hard 
enough  to  hold  his  job;  or,  if  he  is  working  on  a  commission, 
just  enough  to  supply  his  needs. 

§  282.     The  Salesman  Who  Wants  Work  Can  Find  It 

A  salesman  may  occasionally  find  that  there  are  no  more 
customers  on  whom  he  can  conveniently  call  during  the  work- 
ing hours  of  that  day.  Such  is  very  frequently  his  position 
when  visiting  small  country  places,  when  he  must  often  wait 
over  several  hours  in  a  town  because  of  inadequate  train  ser- 
vice. He  should  remember,  however,  that  his  work  is  not 
wholly  limited  to  personal  interviews.  He  has  frequently  to 
communicate  with  customers  by  means  of  writing.  Conse- 
quently, the  man  who  makes  up  his  mind  that  he  will  be  on 
the  job  from  such  an  hour  in  the  morning  to  such  an  hour  in 
in  the  afternoon,  can  under  all  circumstances  find  useful  work 
of  some  kind  that  will  profitably  occupy  his  regular  working 
hours. 

§  283.     The  Result  of  Keeping  Always  at  It 

A  salesman  selling  the  specialties  of  a  Chicago  packing 
house  had  only  one  customer  out  of  a  possible  three  in  a 
small-sized  town.     He  was  anxious  to  open  an  account  witli 


276  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

the  other  two  dealers  but  several  calls  proved  fruitless.  After 
calling  on  his  customer  and  visiting  the  two  other  prospects 
without  making  a  sale,  he  arrived  at  the  station  early  one 
afternoon  to  find  that  he  had  just  missed  the  last  train  out 
for  the  day.  There  was  apparently  nothing  to  do  for  the  rest 
of  the  day  but  to  return  to  the  hotel  and  pass  the  time  smok- 
ing in  its  lobby. 

Instead  of  doing  this  the  salesman  went  to  the  nearest 
telephone  booth,  picked  out  the  names  of  a  number  of  resi- 
dents who  lived  in  the  better  section  of  the  town,  and  asked  in 
each  case  for  the  lady  of  the  house.  To  each  lady  he  de- 
livered a  short  sales  talk  on  the  wire.  After  a  few  words  of 
introduction  and  brief  mention  of  the  merits  of  his  goods,  he 
asked  the  housewife  where  she  usually  bought  her  provisions. 
If  she  named  one  of  the  dealers  who  was  not  his  customer  he 
suggested  that  she  ask  the  merchant  to  stock  his  specialties  so 
that  she  might  give  them  a  trial — at  the  same  time  saying  he 
would  be  glad  to  forward  samples  of  anything  in  which  she 
was  interested.  In  this  way  he  passed  several  hours  ringing 
up  a  large  number  of  people,  as  he  knew  that  among  the  num- 
ber there  would  be  a  few  who  would  act  upon  his  suggestions. 
He  was  requested  in  several  cases  to  send  samples.  The 
final  results  of  this  profitable  use  of  his  few  leisure  hours 
were  that  when  next  he  called  in  this  town  he  was  able  to 
sell  to  all  three  dealers  because  of  the  inquiries  they  had  re- 
ceived for  certain  specialties  in  his  line. 

This  salesman  hated  to  be  sitting  idle,  drumming  his  heels 
in  a  hotel  lobby,  or  scanning  the  comic  section  of  the  daily 
paper,  just  as  some  salesmen  hate  the  work  habit  and  are  on 
the  lookout  for  any  legitimate  excuse  for  avoiding  it.  With 
every  excuse  for  loafing,  he  made  profitable  use  of  his  time. 

One  result  of  acquiring  the  work  habit  is  that  it  soon 
becomes  much  more  interesting  and  amusing  to  keep  eternally 
at  it  than  to  lounge  around  and  do  nothing. 


THE   HAPPY    HABIT   OF    INDUSTRY 


277 


§  284.     Hints  for  Developing  the  Habit  of  Industry 

To  acquire  the  habit  of  industry  it  is  important  to  plan  a 
regular  daily  routine  which  must  be  rigidly  adhered  to  under 
all  circumstances.  This  routine  should  first  of  all  consist 
of  regular  hours  of  work.  The  salesman  must  be  just  as  con- 
scientious with  himself  in  starting  his  job  at  a  stated  time  and 
sticking  to  it  until  quitting  time,  as  if  he  had  to  punch  a 
time  clock  with  the  knowledge  that  his  time  card  would  come 
daily  to  the  personal  attention  of  the  president  of  the  concern. 

As  the  calling  of  the  salesman  necessitates  traveling  from 
place  to  place  and  his  time  is  more  or  less  at  the  mercy  of  his 
customers,  it  is  often  impossible  to  map  out  the  work  far 
ahead.  He  can  rarely  say  to  himself,  for  instance,  that  he 
will  call  on  so  many  customers  every  day,  or  that  he  will  sell 
a  certain  quantity  of  goods.  In  suggesting,  therefore,  that 
he  should  cultivate  regular  habits  of  work,  the  intention  is 
that  he  should  be  on  the  job  at  a  certain  hour  and  refrain  from 
quitting  until  a  certain  hour  with  the  fixed  determination  to 
make  the  best  use  of  the  time  in  between. 

When,  however,  it  is  possible  to  plan  the  details  of  the 
day's  work  in  advance,  this  should  be  done.  If  a  man  starts 
out  with  the  intention  of  working  so  many  hours  and  sets 
himself  to  do  certain  tasks  within  these  hours,  the  spirit  of 
competition  that  is  aroused  by  trying  to  do  a  given  thing  in 
a  given  time,  tends  to  make  the  work  more  interesting.  Inter- 
est, as  already  stated,  is  the  secret  of  concentration. 

The  salesman  need  not  worry  if  he  is  unable  to  live  up 
to  his  plan  at  once.  Habit  is  a  thing  of  growth  which  be- 
gins slowly  and  hesitatingly.  But  a  habit  that  is  adhered  to 
grips  you  in  time.  The  man  who  cultivates  industry  a  little 
at  a  time  will,  after  a  while,  be  unable  to  be  idle.  In  time  his 
day's  task  will  be  carried  out  with  almost  the  regularity  of  a 
machine,  which  neither  grows  tired  nor  suffers  from  moods, 
is  neither  over-sanguine  nor  depressed. 


278 


THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 


§  285.     Tackling  the  Hardest  Jobs  First 

The  salesman  should  also  make  a  point,  when  possible,  of 
tackling  the  hardest  things  first  in  his  day's  work.  If  he  has 
an  especially  disagreeable  customer  to  meet  or  a  delicate  in- 
terview which  he  rather  dreads,  the  sooner  it  is  off  his  mind 
and  done  with,  the  better.  If  he  puts  it  ofT  until  nearly  the 
end  of  the  day,  the  chances  are  that  he  will  be  looking  for 
excuses  to  shirk  it  and  procrastinate  until  the  next  day. 
Procrastination  is  the  worst  of  all  foes  to  the  acquirement  of 
the  habit  of  industry.  When  he  tackles  the  most  difficult  task 
at  the  outset,  he  is  fresh  and  keen  and  his  enthusiasm  is  at 
its  maximum  point.  If,  in  spite  of  every  effort  he  fails — well, 
he  knows  that  the  hardest  part  of  the  day's  work  is  over. 
If  he  succeeds,  the  very  fact  of  his  succeeding  where  failure 
might  have  been  expected  will  exert  a  stimulating  effect  upon 
his  enthusiasm  throughout  the  rest  of  the  day. 

§  286.     The  Importance  of  Foot  Work 

In  what  has  been  said  throughout  this  book,  the  emphasis 
has  been  made  upon  the  importance  of  brain  work.  Study, 
allied  with  practical  experience  on  the  road,  is  the  recipe  for 
the  man  who  wishes  to  make  the  most  of  his  opportunities. 
It  must  not  be  forgotten,  however,  that  the  daily  routine  of 
the  salesman  calls  for  considerable  activity.  He  is  constantly 
on  the  move  from  town  to  town  and,  while  in  a  town  or  a  big 
city,  from  place  to  place.  "Foot  work,"  therefore,  also  counts 
and  in  some  lines  of  business  counts  for  a  great  deal.  A 
salesman  representing  a  staple  wholesale  line,  whose  customers 
are  fairly  near  together  and  who  does  not  need  to  carry 
samples,  can,  if  he  hustles,  call  on  from  twenty  to  thirty  cus- 
tomers in  a  day.  Another  man  of  less  energy  who  dislikes 
locomotion  may  adopt  a  more  leisurely  method  and  call  on  only 
half  this  number. 

The  salesman  who  is  enthusiastic  in  his  work  and  has 


THE    HAPPY    HABIT    OF    INDUSTRY 


27CJ 


acquired  the  habit  of  industry  will  waste  as  little  time  as 
possible  in  getting  about.  Given  equal  ability,  the  hustler 
who  calls  on  double  the  number  of  customers  will,  by  the  law 
of  averages,  reap  twice  the  orders  and  be  of  more  than 
double  the  value  of  the  less  energetic  man  to  the  firm  they 
both  represent.  Their  cost  in  salaries  and  expenses  is  the 
same  whether  they  turn  in  ten  or  twenty  orders  a  day. 

To  mention  this  point  as  a  precept  for  the  salesman  to 
bear  in  mind,  may  seem  to  introduce  a  trite  and  obvious 
subject.  But  it  is  well  to  remember  that  to  walk  briskly  and 
eagerly  from  one  place  of  call  to  another  tends  indirectly  to 
generate  enthusiasm  and  energy.  Our  thoughts  and  feelings 
must  find  expression  in  our  acts.  Conversely,  our  acts  react 
upon  thought  and  emotion. 

§  287.  The  Reaction  of  Industry  upon  Enthusiasm  and 
Courage 

Two  of  the  most  positive  mental  assets  of  salesmanship, 
enthusiasm  and  courage,  are  greatly  affected  for  good  or  for 
ill  by  habits  of  industry.  A  man  may  experience  a  trying 
and  disappointing  day  or  he  may  not  be  feeling  quite  up  to  the 
mark.  His  enthusiasm  in  consequence  is  dampened.  Under 
the  circumstances  he  cannot  help  feeling  a  trifle  discouraged. 
A  man  who  is  mercurial  and  lacks  the  work  habit  will,  in  con- 
sequence, be  inclined  to  shirk  his  next  day's  task  until  he  feels 
more  in  the  mood.  The  man  who  works  only  when  he  feels 
like  it  is  pretty  sure  not  to  feel  in  the  mood  for  work  on  the 
morning  that  follows  a  discouraging  day. 

The  salesman  who  has  acquired  the  habit  of  industry  will 
automatically  be  on  his  job  at  his  regular  hour,  regardless  of 
what  he  did  the  preceding  day.  A  turn  in  the  wheel  of 
fortune  may  then  bring  back  with  a  rush  all  his  old  enthusiasm. 
Enthusiasm  is  an  essential  trait  of  the  salesman  who  tackles 
his  job  with  the  pertinacious  courage  needed  to  climb  high. 


CHAPTER    XXIX 

THE    IMPORTANCE    OF    LITTLE    THINGS 

§  288.     Attention  to  Appearance  Is  Always  Worth  While 

"Madam,  I  represent  the  Pasteur  Milk  Company,"  said  a 
house-to-house  canvasser  as  a  pert,  trim-looking  little  Irish 
girl  opened  the  door.     "I  wish  to  .  .  .  ." 

"Go  rub  the  mud  off  your  shoes  on  the  grass.  Don't 
stand  there  dirtying  my  front  doorstep,"  she  said  with  an  air 
of  command. 

The  salesman  meekly  obeyed. 

"Madam,  the  milk  I.  .  .  ." 

"Take  your  hands  out  of  your  pockets."     He  obeys. 

"Madam,  I  have  called  ..." 

"Never  talk  to  a  lady  with  a  cigarette  in  your  mouth." 

The  cigarette  is  meekly  thrown  away. 

"Please,  ma'am,  have  you  .  .  .  ," 

"Tuck  that  dirty  handkerchief  out  of  sight.  Now  I  think 
you  are  fit  to  be  seen,  but  you  would  look  better  if  your  shoes 
were  shined,  your  hat  brushed,  and  your  clothes  pressed. 
However,  I  will  now  call  the  lady  of  the  house.  I'm  the 
hired  girl." 

This  anecdote  illustrates  how  important  are  manner  and 
appearance  and  how  many  little  things  go  to  make  up  a  pleas- 
ing whole.  Often  a  detail  of  which  the  salesman  is  uncon- 
scious will  detract  from  his  personal  appearance  or  so  mar 
his  manner  that  it  acts  as  an  irritant  upon  others.  When  any 
of  these  little  things  affect  the  customer  unpleasantly,  they 
handicap  the  salesman  in  creating  that  first  good  impression 

280 


IMPORTANCE   OF   LITTLE   THINGS  28 1 

which  is  SO  important  if  favorable  attention  is  to  be  given  to 
the  offer. 

Personal  appearance  and  health  enter  strongly  into  the 
ability  to  impress  others,  and  appearance  is  sometimes  a  much 
greater  factor  in  salesmanship  than  the  average  salesperson 
realizes.  The  experienced  sales  manager  when  selecting  ap- 
plicants to  fill  vacant  positions  will,  as  a  rule,  insist  first  of 
all  that  the  unknown  candidate  fulfill  certain  requisites  as  to 
appearance.  If  the  firm  he  is  to  represent  is  of  any  standing, 
he  must  look  like  a  gentleman  so  far  as  the  care  of  his  person 
is  concerned;  his  face  must  be  wholesome  and  show  health; 
his  features  must  show  determination  and  character;  and 
there  must  be  nothing  in  his  bearing,  his  countenance,  or  his 
voice  to  excite  mistrust. 

§  289.     The  Effect  of  Outward  Appearance  upon  Others 

In  outward  appearance,  first  in  importance  come  clothes 
and  the  details  of  dress.  Clothes  do  not  make  a  man,  but  the 
fact  remains  that  the  first  impression  we  create  is  as  much  to 
be  attributed  io  clothes  as  to  manners.  Manners  and  bearing 
may  quickly  make  us  forget  a  person's  clothes;  but  until  he 
begins  to  speak  he  is  judged  by  the  general  appearance  of  his 
attire. 

It  does  not  matter  if  the  salesman's  clothes  are  inexpensive 
and  not  particularly  stylish,  but  it  does  matter  if  they  are  not 
in  good  order  and  appropriate  for  business  and  for  the  class 
of  men  with  whom  he  associates.  A  man  who  looks  clean 
and  well-groomed  in  every  detail,  from  the  shine  on  his  shoes 
to  the  parting  of  his  hair,  creates  an  impression  of  capability 
so  far  as  purely  outward  matters  are  concerned. 

The  accessories  especially  count — shoes,  collar,  cuffs, 
handkerchief,  hat,  finger-nails.  Neglect  of  these  matters  sug- 
gests a  careless  and  slovenly  habit  of  mind.  Unconsciously, 
the  man  who  is  careless  of  his  personal  appearance  will  tend 


282  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

to  create  the  impression  that  he  is  careless  mentally  as  to  state- 
ments he  makes.  His  integrity  and  his  reliability  may  in  con- 
sequence, if  nothing  is  known  about  him,  suffer  unmerited 
depreciation  in  the  mind  of  the  customer. 

§  290.     Effect  of  Dress  upon  the  Salesman  Himself 

The  consciousness  of  being  well  and  appropriately  dressed 
has  a  vital  effect  upon  everybody.  Conversely,  the  conscious- 
ness that  something  is  lacking  in  one's  appearance  has  a  more 
or  less  disturbing  influence  on  the  mind.  When  a  man  looks 
successful  and  prosperous  he  finds  it  easy  to  feel  and  act  suc- 
cessful. The  mere  fact  that  a  salesman  presents  a  shabby  and 
unkempt  appearance  suggests  that  he  does  not  find  his  calling 
a  prosperous  one  and  thus,  indirectly,  the  worth  of  his  goods 
is  depreciated. 

The  most  successful  of  life  insurance  salesmen,  who  dur- 
ing the  past  twenty  years  has  written  over  $8,000,000  worth 
of  insurance  policies,  says  that  in  his  earlier  days  when  he  had 
only  one  suit  of  clothes  he  used  to  clean  and  press  it  himself. 
When  dollars  were  few  and  far  between,  he  regained  an  im- 
maculate crease  in  his  one  pair  of  trousers  by  placing  them 
every  night,  before  retiring,  under  a  mattress,  and  before  he 
left  his  home  in  the  morning  he  rubbed  his  shoes  into  a  super- 
shine. 

§  291.     Importance  of  Appearance  when  Selling  a  Specialty 

When  a  salesman  is  handling  a  high-grade  specialty,  or 
a  line  in  which  a  return  visit  comes  only  after  a  long  period 
of  time,  it  is  essential  that  his  first  appearance  should  be  made 
to  count  as  much  as  possible.  The  customer  interviewing 
such  a  salesman  for  the  first  time  does  so  more  or  less  re- 
luctantly. He  grants  an  interview  probably  on  the  strength 
of  an  introduction  by  letter  or  by  means  of  advertising  matter. 
He  knows  little  or  nothing  about  the  firm,  and  so  he  bases  his 


IMPORTANCE   OF   LITTLE   THINGS  283 

judgment  as  to  its  standing  and  worth  largely  on  the  appear- 
ance presented  by  its  representative.  If  the  salesman  seems 
in  any  way  to  lack  those  characteristics  of  education,  breeding, 
and  prosperity,  which  are  the  outward  indications  of  suc- 
cess, to  some  extent  the  worth  of  his  ofifer  sufifers  depreciation 
in  the  eyes  of  the  prospective  customer.  On  the  other  hand, 
a  smart,  wholesome,  and  well-groomed  appearance  will  do 
much  to  create  a  favorable  impression  and  open  the  way  to 
business  relations. 

§  292.     The  Handicap  of  Unconscious  Mannerisms 

It  is  almost  equally  important  to  beware  of  acquiring  any 
irritating  mannerisms,  whether  of  speech,  voice,  or  gesture, 
as  it  is  to  pay  attention  to  dress.  Mannerisms  more  or  less 
irritating  are  acquired  and  indulged  in  quite  unconsciously  by 
the  complacent  person  who  is  not  severely  self-critical.  Such 
mannerisms  may  seem  of  trifling  importance,  hardly  worthy  of 
attention;  yet  when  they  irritate  the  customer  or  distract  at- 
tention from  the  salesman's  arguments,  they  injure  business 
and  may  suffice  to  weigh  against  the  sale. 

When  salesmen  meet  together  in  the  hotel  lobby  after  the 
day's  work  is  done,  they  frequently  discuss  the  various  kinds 
of  buyers  they  have  met.  When  buyers  meet  in  convention, 
they  not  infrequently  return  the  compliment  by  discussing  the 
characteristics  of  salesmen.  Each  group  might  profit  by  over- 
hearing the  other's  opinions. 

Several  buyers  who  were  discussing  salesmen  and  their 
mannerisms  described  their  pet  aversions.  "There  are  several 
things  I  dislike  to  see  a  salesman  do,"  said  one  buyer,  "but  the 
worst  in  its  irritating  effect  upon  me  is  the  'hat  juggler.'  He 
never  knows  what  to  do  with  his  hat.  He  juggles  it  first 
on  one  knee  and  then  on  the  other,  and  he  passes  it  from 
hand  to  hand,  giving  you  the  impression  that  he  is  anxious  to 
finish  his  sales  talk,  jam  his  hat  on  his  head,  and  bolt. 


284  THE    CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTliR 

"Another  man  has  the  peculiar  habit  of  rubbing  his  nose 
violently  every  few  minutes.  While  he  is  talking,  1  am  won- 
dering how  it  is  that  the  skin  does  not  become  sore,  or  a  corn 
appear  in  the  wrong  place. 

"Another  is  continually  picking  imaginary  specks  off  his 
clothes.  A  fourth  trims  and  pares  his  nails  while  in  my 
presence — ignorance  of  good  breeding,  of  course,  but  none  the 
less  offensive.  A  fifth  has  a  habit  of  making  a  little  humming 
sound  with  his  lips.  Yet  another  keeps  striking  one  clenched 
fist  into  the  open  palm  of  the  other  hand,  and  does  this  for  the 
sake  of  emphasis  forty  or  fifty  times  during  the  interview. 
The  result  is  he  becomes  so  emphatic  that  you  can  hardly 
trust  a  word  he  says." 

All  these  are  "little  things"  which  in  themselves  are  of 
trifling  importance,  and  in  the  ordinary  course  may  affect  a 
salesman's  chances  of  doing  business  in  only  a  slight  degree. 
But  when,  as  in  the  case  of  an  indifferent  prospective  customer 
who  has  been  hard  to  approach,  they  produce  an  irritating 
effect  and  distract  the  listener's  mind  from  what  the  sales- 
man is  saying,  then  such  mannerisms  may  be  handicapping 
him  in  his  career  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  he  imagines. 

§  293.     Crudities  of  Speech 

There  are  a  number  of  widely  used  colloquialisms  and 
crudities  of  speech  which  are  irritating  to  the  more  cultivated. 
Moreover,  a  buyer  may  use  certain  expressions  himself  and 
yet  resent  as  a  familiarity  their  use  by  a  salesman  who  pre- 
sumes that  these  more  or  less  vulgar  modes  of  speech -appeal 
to  him.  To  depart  in  any  way  from  the  correct  or  accus- 
tomed mode  of  speech  implies  that  we  are  on  a  more  or  less 
familiar  footing  with  the  person  addressed.  To  assume  that 
we  are  on  this  footing  after  a  few  moments'  brief  acquaintance 
is  a  suggestion  which  many  persons  resent. 

As  .mentioned  in  Chapter  XI,  the  phraseology  and  mode 


IMPORTANCE   OF   LITTLE   THINGS 


285 


of  speech  of  the  salesman  must  be  varied  to  suit  the  intelli- 
gence revealed  by  the  buyer.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  the 
use  of  slang  expressions,  provided  the  salesman's  meaning  is 
intelligible  to  the  listener,  might  not  result  in  any  harm,  and 
can  be  used  with  discretion  to  make  his  arguments  more  pic- 
turesque and  vivid.  The  salesman,  however,  should  beware 
lest  he  fall  into  the  habit  of  using  a  few  pet  slang  phrases,  as 
the  frequent  repetition  of  these  soon  becomes  intensely  irri- 
tating. 

Crudities  of  speech  are  as  frequently  due  to  habit  as  to 
ignorance.  It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  buyer 
will  very  likely  attribute  any  ungrammatical  expressions,  not 
to  the  carelessness  of  habit,  but  to  stupidity  or  lack  of  educa- 
tion. To  convey  the  impression  that  he  lacks  education  or  is 
deficient  in  intelligence  is  not  the  sort  of  impression  any  sales- 
man cares  to  create. 

§  294.     Examples  of  Mannerisms  in  Speech 

Some  people  have  a  habit  of  beginning  every  second  or 
third  sentence  with  the  word  "now"  quite  unconscious  of  its 
irritating  monotony.  Imagine  a  salesman  talking  in  this 
way:  "Now,  let  me  tell  you  about  our  service.  Now,  I 
know  you  will  agree  with  me.  Now,  notice  how  well  this  is 
finished,"  and  so  on  endlessly.  The  word  "now"  is  a  useful 
one  in  its  place,  but  repeated  in  this  manner  it  becomes  irri- 
tating to  critical  ears. 

Another  unfortunate  manner  of  speech,  which  many  sales- 
men unconsciously  fall  into,  is  that  of  emphasizing  every 
query  or  assertion  with  an  additional  and  wholly,  unnecessary 
query,  "Do  you  see?"  "Isn't  that  so?"  "See  what  I  mean?" 
which  they  af¥ix  to  every  phrase  whether  put  in  the  form  of  a 
query  or  not. 

A  common  crudity  is  to  interrogate,  when  one  fails  to 
understand  or  to  hear,  by  means  of  a  grunt  and  a  rather  irri- 


286  THE   CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 

tated  expression  of  countenance  instead  of  by  courteously 
saying,  "Pardon  me,  I  did  not  hear,"  "I  beg  your  pardon," 
or  a  similar  polite  remark.  This  form  of  interrogation  has  a 
jarring  effect  upon  a  person  of  any  breeding,  quite  suf^cient 
in  some  cases  to  disturb  the  mental  poise  of  the  listener  and 
render  him  incapable  of  giving  the  salesman  a  patient  hearing. 

§  295.     Control  of  the  Voice 

The  tone  of  voice,  the  loudness  and  rate  of  talking,  the 
clearness  with  which  a  man  speaks — all  contribute  to  a  favor- 
able or  unfavorable  impression  of  the  salesman's  personality. 
Some  men  always  talk  noisily,  even  in  a  quiet  room,  or  in  a 
strident  tone  which  irritates  the  ear  as  a  glaring  light  the  eye. 
Others  talk  too  volubly,  so  that  the  listener  is  annoyed  by  the 
flood  of  words;  others  too  slowly,  trying  to  emphasize  every- 
thing, so  that  the  busy  man  who  thinks  rapidly  and  to  the 
point  soon  grows  tired  of  listening  to  the  measured  elabora- 
tion of  their  arguments. 

When  a  man  talks  in  a  modulated,  pleasant,  and  easy  tone, 
which  is  loud  enough  to  be  distinctly  heard  but  is  not  noisy, 
he  makes  it  easy  and  pleasant  for  the  prospective  customer 
to  listen  to  him,  and  also  leaves  himself  an  opportunity  to  be 
emphatic  by  raising  his  voice  to  accentuate  the  striking  points 
of  his  sales  argument.  The  most  attractive  features  of  the 
proposition  can  be  accentuated  in  this  way  with  the  object  of 
concentrating  the  customer's  attention  upon  them. 

§  296.     The  Control  and  Eradication  of  Unconscious  Man- 
nerisms 

What  is  true  of  speech  is  true  also  of  awkwardness  of  pos- 
ture or  of  nervous  movements  of  the  face,  hands,  or  feet. 
Such  mannerisms  as  tapping  with  the  fingers,  stroking  one's 
hair,  tilting  back  one's  chair,  even  coughing  or  clearing  the 
throat — while  they  may  not  have  an  irritating  effect  upon 


IMPORTANCE   OF   LITTLE   THINGS  287 

nine  people  out  of  ten,  will  jar  seriously  upon  the  tenth.  All 
these  automatic  motions  are  vents  for  unutilized  nervous 
energy.  They  indicate  that  the  salesman  has  failed  to  bring 
his  own  nervous  system  under  the  control  of  his  will.  Yet 
any  and  all  of  these  indications  of  misapplied  nervous  energy 
can  be  completely  controlled  by  the  will  if  a  sustained  effort 
is  made  to  eradicate  them.  One  can  learn  to  avoid  errors  in 
grammar  and  pronunciation,  irritating  gestures  and  manner- 
isms; one  can  learn  to  speak  distinctly  and  in  a  pleasing  tone 
as  certainly  as  one  can  learn  and  acquire  polite  table  manners. 

The  salesman  who  realizes  the  importance  of  these  little 
details  and  wishes  to  be  sure  that  he  is  free  from  anything 
which  is  irritating  or  a  cause  of  reproach  to  himself,  should 
watch  himself  at  all  times — not  merely  when  talking  to  the 
customer,  but  in  all  circumstances  and  places.  He  must 
study  the  subject  in  his  leisure  moments  and  he  must 
ask  for  advice  and  criticism  from  friends.  When  he  ascer- 
tains his  own  weakness  in  this  respect  he  will  have  little  diffi- 
culty in  effecting  the  necessary  cure. 

The  eradication  of  disagreeable  mannerisms  and  the  ac- 
quirement of  pleasing  manners  is  the  reward  of  patient  effort. 
When  once  the  right  habit  is  developed,  it  remains  and  is  un- 
consciously practiced  at  all  times  without  effort. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  COURTESY  THAT  ATTRACTS  AND  PLEASES 

§  297.     A  Salesman's  Polish  and  Finish 

Crudely  finished  goods,  lacking  the  minute  attention  to 
detail  which  is  always  the  mark  of  the  master  craftsman,  may 
serve  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  made  as  well  as  the 
more  polished  article.  Yet  if  they  are  sold  in  competition 
with  goods  of  superior  finish,  the  more  carefully  finished 
article  will  win  out  in  every  case. 

Exactly  the  same  rule  is  applicable  to  the  salesman.  A 
salesman  may  be  enthusiastic  and  industrious,  he  may  be 
careful  in  the  attention  he  pays  to  the  details  of  his  appearance, 
complete  in  his  knowledge,  and  efficient  in  his  method  of 
presenting  the  argument,  but  his  success  will  be  marred  if 
he  lacks  that  fine  polish  and  finish  in  manner  and  bearing 
which  is  implied  by  the  word  courtesy. 

Courtesy  is  a  polish  and  finish  to  a  man's  manners  and  ap- 
pearance and  his  mental  qualifications  as  a  whole.  If  he 
lacks  that  softening  of  his  manner  implied  by  the  term  and 
carries  on  his  daily  work  with  the  rigidity  of  a  machine,  his 
very  efficiency  will  tend  to  become*  off ensive  and  to  grate  on 
certain  types  of  people  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact; 
whereas  by  tempering  the  natural  aggressiveness  and  "push- 
fulness"  of  his  calling  with  pleasing  manners  and  courteous 
consideration  for  the  feelings  of  others,  he  is  able  to  gain  his 
point  in  many  cases  when  more  forceful  tactics  would  fail, 

§  298.     The  Aspect  of  Courtesy  Termed  "Politeness" 

There  are  two  aspects  of  courtesy.  The  first  we  term 
"politeness" — the  external  manners  and  bearing  of  the  man. 

288 


THE  COURTESY  THAT  ATTRACTS        289 

The  second  aspect  is  considerateness — thought  fulness  for 
other  people's  tastes,  interests,  and  feelings. 

Much  that  has  been  said  in  the  preceding  chapter  upon 
the  importance  of  little  things  ig  applicable  to  what  is  meant 
by  the  term  "politeness."  Politeness  in  manners  is  mainly 
a  matter  of  care  for  the  Httle  things  of  bearing,  such  as  re- 
moving one's  hat  upon  entering  an  office,  soft  manners  and 
speech,  little  attentions  which  others  do  not  always  expect. 
This  is  an  aspect  of  courtesy  which  can  be  developed  so  that 
it  appears  at  all  times  and  in  every  interview. 

The  salesman  can  begin  when  he  enters  the  office  and 
asks  for  information  from  the  girl  at  the  telephone  desk.  He 
removes  his  hat  when  he  addresses  her  and  speaks  in  a  tone 
of  voice  which  shows  at  least  the  deference  due  to  her  sex. 
In  this  way  he  wins  her  liking  and  respect.  The  prospective 
customer  may  perhaps  not  be  able  to  see  him,  or  may  refuse 
to  see  him  in  spite  of  several  calls.  Eventually,  however,  if 
his  manner  and  bearing  win  the  liking  of  the  person  who 
stands  on  guard  before  the  prospect's  door,  he  or  she  will  try 
to  secure  the  salesman  an  interview.  On  the  other  hand,  an 
abrupt,  discourteous,  dictatorial  manner  will  prejudice  those 
working  in  a  minor  capacity.  Their  influence  will  then  be 
exerted  to  the  extent  that  it  can  hinder  his  reception  by  the 
prospect. 

§  299.     Example  of  the  Effect  of  Politeness 

Two  wholesale  salesmen  handling  furniture  covered  the 
same  territory.  One  was  successful  while  the  other  trudged 
along  and  made  hardly  an  amount  sufficient  to  cover  his  ex- 
penses. Both  men  were  capable  and  both  carried  good  lines. 
A  study  of  their  methods  quickly  disclosed  the  reason  for 
the  difference  in  results. 

When  the  more  successful  salesman  entered  a  store,  he 
always  had  a  cheery  smile  for  every  clerk  in  the  place.     His 


290  THE   CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 

manner  to  all  alike  was  uniformly  polite  and  genial.  The  less 
successful  man,  who  by  nature  was  more  shy  and  diffident, 
usually  ignored  employees  in  a  minor  capacity;  or  if  he  spoke 
to  them  at  all,  he  addressed  them  in  an  abrupt  way.  His 
practice  was  to  waste  no  time  in  greeting  but  to  make  his 
way  direct  to  the  buyer's  office.  A  buyer  might  try  both 
lines,  one  in  competition  with  the  other;  but  somehow  when 
the  goods  were  sold  in  this  way  those  of  the  genial  sales- 
man were  disposed  of  more  rapidly  than  those  of  his  com- 
petitor. The  clerks  in  the  store  imagined  that  the  man  who 
refused  to  recognize  them  felt  himself  to  be  of  superior  clay, 
and  they  resented  his  unintentional  slight.  The  genial  sales- 
man they  thought  "a  mighty  fine  fellow,"  and  in  consequence 
they  lost  no  opportunity  of  pushing  his  goods. 

§  300.     The  Politeness  of  the  Good  Listener 

Politeness  is  always  revealed  in  one's  manner  of  talking 
and  listening.  When  listening  to  a  story  or  when  something 
is  explained  to  us  in  which  we  are  not  interested,  it  is  a  mark 
of  politeness  to  concentrate  on  what  we  are  told  so  that  the 
talker  does  not  find  that  his  remarks  have  been  addressed  to 
the  air.  Many  people  are  quite  unconscious  of  the  fact  that 
they  are  incapable  of  listening  to  others  because  they  insist  on 
doing  so  much  of  the  talking  themselves.  They  seize  every 
opportunity  to  interrupt  the  conversation  in  order  to  air  some- 
thing which  has  occurred  to  them  and  which  may  or  may  not 
be  relevant  to  the  subject  under  discussion. 

The  salesman  who  finds  that  his  mind  is  wandering  while 
his  customer  is  talking  directly  at  him  and  who  is  waiting 
for  an  opportunity  to  make  remarks  of  his  own,  can  be  reason- 
ably sure  that  he  lacks  the  courtesy  of  concentration,  which 
is  an  innate  mark  of  the  polite  listener.  Before  he  can  show 
helpful  sympathy  with  another's  viewpoint,  he  must  first  listen 
attentively  to  what  the  other  fellow  has  to  say. 


THE  COURTESY  THAT  ATTRACTS        291 

§  301.     Courtesy  or  Consideration  for  Other  People 

The  development  of  resolute  and  persistent  habits  of  in- 
dustry allied  with  enthusiasm  for  his  work  may  often  lead 
the  salesman  to  overplay  his  hand.  He  pushes  too  hard  and 
tends  to  become  domineering  in  his  aggressiveness.  As  a  rule 
nine  people  out  of  ten  like  to  make  up  their  own  minds,  or  to 
think  they  make  up  their  own  minds,  and  they  dislike  to  feci 
that  in  any  way  they  are  driven  or  hurried. 

It  is  true  that  in  some  cases  the  salesman  must  urge,  and 
even  drive,  an  irresolute  customer  to  a  decision.  But  the 
very  fact  that  he  is  sometimes  successful  in  doing  this  tends 
to  make  his  manner  so  aggressive  that  it  causes  offense  in 
other  instances — unless  it  is  leavened  with  courtesy.     . 

These  remarks  are  particularly  applicable  to  the  buyer  who 
is  readily  influenced  when  he  thinks  that  the  salesman  has  his 
interests  in  mind.  If  such  customers  imagine  that  they  are 
being  driven  or  urged  toward  a  certain  course  by  a  salesman's 
insistence  or  mere  will  power,  they  tend  to  stiffen  up  and 
draw  back.  If  they  think  that  he  is  considerate  and  disposed 
to  meet  them  half-way,  they  are  prepared  to  meet  him  at  the 
same  point.  Therefore,  the  habit  of  looking  at  the  offer 
from  the  customer's  point  of  view  and  admitting  any  general 
disadvantages  that  it  may  possess,  is  one  method  of  cultivating 
courtesy.  The  salesman  thus  indicates  that  he  is  sensitive  to 
the  feelings  and  interests  of  others,  and  this  is  the  fine  flower 
of  courtesy. 

§  302.     Aggressiveness  Should  be  Tempered  with  Courtesy 

A  point  to  bear  in  mind  is  that  a  man  who  has  only  tireless 
habits  of  industry  to  recommend  him  and  who  uses  his 
faculties  in  an  aggressive  way,  without  the  leaven  of  courteous 
consideration  for  others,  is  not  liked.  Not  all  his  customers 
may  be  actually  offended  by  a  purely  business  manner  wliich 
thinks  only  of  self-interest  and  leaves  courtesy  out  of  consid- 


292  THE   CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 

eration,  but  some  certainly  are  offended.  Moreover,  none  of 
them  enjoy  his  visits.  Such  a  man  finds  it  difficult  to  win  the 
friendliness  of  his  customers,  and  as  we  have  seen,  the  sales- 
man who  fails  to  do  this,  especially  in  the  wholesale  field,  is 
a  comparative  failure. 

In  former  days  salesmen  sought  to  create  this  feeling  of 
trust  and  friendliness  by  striving  for  the  reputation  of  "good 
fellows."  They  collected  a  large  stock  of  funny  stories,  they 
adopted  a  uniform  manner  of  joviality,  and  they  were  ready 
to  be  convivial  when  opportunity  offered.  Methods  like  these 
are  out  of  date.  Today  the  old-fashioned  convivial  and  jovial 
manner  is  replaced  by  courteous  but  business-like  efficiency. 

§  303.     Discourtesy  Should  Never  Be  Imitated 

Discourtesy  in  others  should  never  be  made  an  excuse  or 
reason  for  discourtesy  in  ourselves.  The  salesman  who  never 
forgets  his  manners  and  is  equally  polite  in  every  trying  cir- 
cumstance always  receives  his  reward  if  only  in  the  salutary 
effect  of  the  self-control  he  has  exercised. 

A  young  ticket  seller  stood  inside  his  box  at  a  theater 
while  a  line  of  people  stood  outside.  A  woman  pushed  her 
way  to  the  box  office  and  protested  angrily  because  of  the  poor 
seats  she  had  been  given. 

"I  am  very  sorry,"  replied  the  youth,  "but  they  are  the 
best  I  have  left." 

"I  don't  believe  you,"  was  the  reply  in  a  tone  that  all 
could  hear.     "There  are  plenty  of  vacant  seats  left." 

"Those  are  all  sold.  Madam,"  he  replied  in  a  perfectly 
courteous  tone,  "but  as  they  are  reserved  they  will  not  be 
occupied  until  the  performance  begins.  I  am  sorry  to  disao- 
point  you." 

Many  a  man  would  have  become  angry  and  made  a  sharp, 
impatient  reply  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  complaining 
woman  was  holding  up  a  long  line  of  people  who  were  wait- 


THE  COURTESY  THAT  ATTRACTS        293 

ing  to  buy  seats.  The  effect  of  this  restraint  and  uniform 
courtesy  was  that  a  man  standing  in  line  presented  his  card 
and  asked  the  ticket  seller  to  call  on  him  next  day.  The 
name  proved  to  be  that  of  the  head  of  a  large  retailing 
house.     When  the  young  man  called  the  merchant  said: 

"A  man  who  can  keep  his  temper  as  you  can  keep  yours 
is  wasting  his  time  selling  theater  tickets.  You  will  find  a 
much  bigger  field  in  my  store.  What's  your  present  job 
worth?"  On  hearing  the  sum  he  offered  the  youth  an  opening 
in  his  complaint  department  at  double  the  theater  salary. 

§  304.     Acquirement  of  Courteous  Manners 

To  cultivate  courteous  manners  and  a  polite  bearing  is 
not  a  difficult  matter.  First  in  importance  is  to  feel  kindly 
disposed  toward  others  and  to  seek  opportunities  to  help  them 
or  to  do  something  which  ordinarily  would  not  be  expected. 
For  example,  to  hold  open  the  door  for  a  lady  is  a  courtesy 
which  some  men  never  think  of  offering,  simply  because  they 
have  never  practiced  it.  The  courteous  retail  salesman 
promptly  places  a  chair  for  a  tired-looking  customer  before 
he  begins  to  serve  her.  After  such  things  as  these  have  been 
done  several  times,  they  quickly  become  matters  of  habit. 

Again,  one  can  make  a  special  effort  to  remember  names 
and  faces.  When  the  salesman  enters  a  retail  store,  he  can 
seize  the  opportunity  to  address  by  name  any  of  the  employees 
he  may  encounter  with  a  genial  query  as  to  what  they  have 
been  doing  lately,  or  what  has  happened  in  the  town  since  his 
last  visit.  Little  attentions  of  this  sort  all  serve  to  impress 
others  with  one's  pleasing  manners  and  uniform  courtesy. 

How  readily  courteous  manners  can  be  cultivated,  will 
be  realized  when  we  reflect  what  a  simple  matter  it  is  to  use 
the  words  "Thank  you,"  and  how  frequently  this  simple  matter 
is  neglected.  These  two  words  if  spoken  in  a  tone  of  real 
sincerity  and  with  a  pleasant  smile,  will  have  much  greater 


294  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

weight  in  influencing  a  retail  shopper  to  return  to  the  store 
than  the  average  salesperson  believes.  We  all  like  to  feel 
that  our  patronage  is  appreciated,  and  that  the  salesperson 
who  has  waited  upon  us  has  been  pleased  to  do  so  and  will 
be  pleased  to  see  us  again.  In  the  opinion  of  a  prominent 
merchant,  only  one  salesman  in  ten  says,  "Thank  you,"  after 
every  sale ;  and  not  one  salesman  in  twenty  knows  how  to  say 
it  effectively.  The  salesman  who  ignores  this  rule  in  any  of 
the  numerous  stores  of  a  well-known  tobacco  concern  may  ex- 
pect dismissal  at  any  time. 

How  much  the  mention  of  these  two  little  words,  "Thank 
you,"  reacts  upon  the  bearing  of  the  salesman,  it  is  impossible 
to  say.  But  the  mere  fact  that  one  expresses  one's  gratitude 
and  one's  thanks  before  the  customer  leaves,  results  in  the 
striking  of  a  pleasant  note  at  the  moment  when  the  interview 
is  terminated  and  thus  leaves  a  pleasing  impression  in  the 
mind. 

§  305.     Courtesy  Part  of  the  Salesman's  Stock  in  Trade 

Buying  is  a  serious  business.  It  involves  an  outlay  to 
which  a  certain  element  of  risk  is  attached.  It  also  entails 
the  exercise  of  judgment  in  which  mistakes  can  easily  be 
made.  In  consequence  the  responsibilities  which  fall  upon  the 
buyer  are  such  that  they  frequently  perplex  and  harass  him. 
This  may  react  on  his  mood  and  make  him  irritable.  There- 
fore, the  task  of  the  buyer  should  be  made  as  easy  and  pleasant 
as  possible. 

When  in  the  presence  of  a  harassed  and  irritable  buyer 
the  salesman  may  need  to  assume  a  courteous  attitude  even 
though  beneath  the  surface  he  feels  himself  to  be  intensely 
irritated.  The  assumption  of  this  courtesy  is  not  hypocrisy. 
There  is  no  more  business  or  moral  objection  to  it  than  there 
is  to  the  varnish  or  veneer  with  which  the  face  of  furniture 
is  finished.     True,   deeply   felt  courtesy  may  be  impossible 


THE  COURTESY  THAT  ATTRACTS 


295 


unless  it  is  reciprocated.  The  buyer  may  be  morose  to  the 
verge  of  being  disagreeable.  In  such  a  case  the  salesman  must 
force  himself  to  be  polite  in  his  manner  and  courteous  in  his 
bearing,  however  much  it  may  go  against  the  grain.  Courtesy 
is  part  of  his  stock  in  trade  that  he  must  carry  with  him ;  he 
should  show  it  just  as  he  displays  his  samples.  Buyers  expect 
to  be  treated  courteously  by  right  of  the  position  they  hold. 
The  maintenance  of  a  courteous  bearing  under  circumstances 
which  demand  an  effort  of  will  is  a  means  of  developing  the 
imperturbable  self-control  which  is  the  mark  of  fine  manners 
and  good  breeding. 

Courtesy  and  politeness  are  the  sunshine  of  business.  The 
sun  shines  not  only  on  the  surface;  its  warmth  goes  much 
deeper.  By  illuminating  the  outside  of  the  man  it  warms  the 
inside  also. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  FIRE  OF  COURAGE 

§  306.     Introduction 

Two  qualities  have  been  constantly  mentioned  and  as  con- 
stantly implied  throughout  this  book — courage  and  tact.  To 
some  extent  they  are  antagonistic  to  each  other.  The  man 
who  is  supremely  tactful  is  rarely  outstandingly  courageous 
and  vice  versa. 

The  man  who  is  inherently  courageous  often  suffers  from 
the  defects  of  this  good  quality  in  that  his  aggressiveness 
tends  to  make  him  less  adaptable  to  the  feelings  and  the  point 
of  view  of  others.  Conversely,  the  man  who  is  naturally 
sensitive  of  others'  feelings  often  lacks  the  driving  power  of 
the  aggressive  and  forceful  personality.  The  perfect  sales- 
man blends  these  two  fine  qualities  in  equal  proportion.  But 
as  the  perfect  salesman  does  not  exist  (and  if  he  did  he  would 
have  a  hard  time  fighting  the  imperfect  customer)  these  two 
attributes  must  be  considered  in  separate  chapters.  Taken 
together  they  sum  up  th^e  essential  qualities  of  a  successful 
salesman  so  far  as  the  development  of  personality  is  concerned. 

§  307.     The  First  Aspect  of  Courage 

Courage  has  two  aspects — daring  and  endurance.  Both 
are  needed  by  the  salesman  and  both  can  be  developed.  Dar- 
ing is  that  kind  of  courage  frequently  referred  to  as  "nerve." 
The  man  who  is  equipped  with  this  faculty  is  ready  to  face 
a  difficult  prospect  whom  another  salesman  lacking  it  would 
rather  avoid.  He  is  eager  to  tackle  big  things  and  is  not  con- 
tent to  handle  the  small  customer  or  the  easy  trade. 

296 


THE   FIRE   OF   COURAGE  297 

Nerve  is  a  faculty  possessed  in  some  degree  by  every  busi- 
ness man  who  stands  out  among  his  competitors  as  more  than 
commonly  successful.  His  success  is  in  part  due  to  an  innate 
ability  to  think  over  a  situation  coolly  and  decide  on  the  best 
course  to  adopt  despite  all  risks  or  dangers.  The  daring 
salesman  who  possesses  nerve  never  allows  himself  to  be  de- 
terred from  tackling  a  difficult  problem  that  demands  courage. 
He  knows  he  possesses  the  faculty  of  thinking  coolly  and 
quickly;  therefore,  he  rather  courts  the  situation  in  which 
this  mental  quality  will  enable  him  to  succeed  where  the  aver- 
age man  would  probably  fail. 

Nerve  alone,  however,  unless  fortified  with  knowledge, 
study,  and  training  will  not  carry  a  man  very  far.  Nerve 
degenerates  into  mere  bumptiousness  and  irritating  presump- 
tion unless  it  is  supported  by  the  more  tangible  and  definite 
qualities  acquired  by  study  and  discipline.  But  the  nerve  that 
is  fortified  with  knowledge  and  practice  of  the  art  of  present- 
ing an  offer  in  its  most  attractive  way  will  carry  the  salesman 
far. 

§  308.     The  Second  Aspect  of  Courage 

The  second  aspect  of  courage  is  shown  in  that  fine 
quality  which  we  designate  as  persistence.  The  man  who 
possesses  or  develops  this  kind  of  enduring  courage  never 
knows  when  he  is  beaten.  He  persists  in  spite  of  failure. 
In  fact,  failure  acts  merely  as  a  spur  to  further  effort. 

Every  salesman  expects  failure  from  time  to  time.  It  is 
part  of  his  day's  work.  By  the  law  of  averages  a  certain 
number  of  customers  will  not  be  in  good  humor,  others  will 
be  too  busy,  others  will  have  just  bought  what  he  has  to  sell, 
and  others  wnll  refuse  flatly  to  see  any  salesman  about  any- 
thing unless  an  appointment  is  made.  By  the  same  law  of 
averages,  however,  some  customers  will  be  in  need  of  the 
thing  he  offers  just  at  the  time  of  his  call,  others  will  be 


298  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

open  to  conviction  that  it  is  the  thing  they  need,  and  others 
again  will  make  a  practice  of  interviewing  every  salesman  who 
calls  because  they  know  that  the  information  frequently  ob- 
tained in  this  way  makes  it  well  worth  their  while  to  do  so. 
Thus  the  tenacious  salesman  who  has  the  kind  of  courage  that 
endures  goes  on  his  way  despite  rebuffs  and  discouragements 
of  every  kind.  As  with  the  development  of  a  muscle,  the 
practice  of  persistence  leads  to  the  strengthening  of  the  will 
to  succeed  in  proportion  to  the  resistance  experienced. 

§  309.     Where  Quiet  Persistence  Made  Good 

The  old  adage  of  the  tortoise  and  the  hare  holds  good  when 
applied  to  the  salesman.  The  man  who  keeps  plugging  away 
and  is  never  daunted  by  any  number  of  "turn-downs"  will  as 
a  rule  come  out  on  top  where  the  more  brilliant  man  who  may 
be  more  easily  discouraged  will  fail.  Of  all  mental  attributes 
perhaps  the  courage  of  persistence  is  the  most  valuable  and 
most  admired  by  others. 

The  purchasing  agent  of  a  large  railroad  in  writing  about 
salesmen  he  has  met,  says: 

"I  recall  one  man  who  won  my  admiration  and  later  my 
orders  for  being  a  plugger.  His  first  call  was  to  introduce 
himself  and  his  house  and  he  did  not  directly  ask  for  business. 
On  a  later  call  he  told  me  what  he  could  furnish  and  asked  for 
an  opportunity  to  serve  me.  At  the  time  I  was  bound  by  con- 
tracts made  by  my  predecessor  and  my  superiors.  He  called 
regularly  at  discreet  intervals  and  was  in  no  way  over-anxious, 
but  stated  that  he  was  always  ready  to  do  business.  He  did 
not  resent  a  contract  which  deprived  him  of  a  chance  to  sell. 
He  plugged  along  and  was  so  pleasant  and  patient  that  I 
came  to  admire  his  perseverance. 

"In  time  he  had  an  opportunity  to  bid  on  a  very  large  job 
which  we  had  going  through.  He  handled  a  type  of  specialty 
which  was  also  made  by  four  other  companies,  and  the  five 


THE   FIRE   OF   COURAGE 


299 


companies  were  to  submit  samples.  The  plugger  lost  out,  but 
he  was  a  graceful  loser  and  smilingly  declared  he  hoped  to  do 
better  next  time.  No  hint  did  he  make  of  unfairness,  and  in 
fact  he  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  make  I  selected  was  all 
right.  He  has  now  made  good.  It  was  later  my  pleasure  to 
give  him  a  substantial  portion  of  our  business  in  his  line,  and 
needless  to  say,  his  prices  were  right  and  his  service  as  fault- 
less as  his  manners." 

§  310.     The  Specialty  Salesman  Must  Be  Persistent 

The  present-day  manager  of  an  important  insurance  com- 
pany states  that  when  he  began  to  work  for  the  company  his 
commissions  during  the  first  three  months  amounted  to  exactly 
$10.  Before  he  started  out  to  solicit  he  firmly  made  up  his 
mind  that  even  if  he  earned  nothing  at  all  for  three  months 
he  would  still  persist,  and  that  he  would  force  himself  to  talk 
life  insurance  at  every  opportunity  until  he  acquired  the  art 
of  broaching  the  subject  with  ease. 

At  first  he  felt  timid  and  nervous  when  approaching  a 
prospect.  Yet  he  realized  that  though  he  was  not  making 
sales,  he  was  learning  quite  a  lot  about  meeting  objections, 
handling  different  types  of  customers,  and  gaining  that 
courage  which  is  so  necessary  for  effective  work  in  this  form 
of  salesmanship.  He  didn't  get  "cold  feet,"  nor  did  he  throw 
up  his  job  after  a  week's  trial,  declaring  that  he  could  not  sell 
life  insurance  because  it  was  the  hardest  thing  on  earth  to  sell; 
still  less  did  he  attribute  his  failure  to  the  fact  that  no  one 
wanted  to  buy  insurance  in  his  particular  town  because  of  bad 
trade,  hard  times,  or  what  not.  He  just  persistently  stuck  to 
his  job,  interviewing  everyone  who  would  listen  to  him  regard- 
less of  who  they  were. 

A  year  later  this  same  young  man  who  earned  only  $10 
during  the  first  three  months  because  of  his  timidity  and  his 
lack  of  confidence,  was  drawing  $100  a  week.     The  diffidence 


300 


THE   CULTIVATION   OF  CHARACTER 


and   fear  of  his  early  days  was  now  replaced  by  a  quiet 
readiness  to  tackle  the  hardest  of  prospects. 

§  311.     The  Cause  and  Control  of  Fear 

There  is  hardly  a  beginner  who  does  not  experience  a 
"sinking  feeling"  or  a  tremor  of  fear  when  he  calls  upon  his 
first  prospects.  We  all  dread  the  unfamiliar  and  the  un- 
known. The  salesman  suffering  from  this  painful  emotion 
in  his  solar  plexus  is  at  a  great  disadvantage  when  he  ap- 
proaches a  customer.  His  manner  shows  .plainly  that  he 
lacks  confidence  in  himself  and  in  his  offer ;  and  to  the  extent 
that  his  fear  is  apparent  he  tends  to  arouse  distrust  in  the 
mind  of  the  buyer. 

The  obvious  remedy  for  lack  of  courage  is  to  create 
such  a  feeling  of  confidence  in  one's  ability  to  sell  and  to  meet 
every  kind  of  objection,  that  this  confidence  ousts  all  fear. 
Therefore,  the  timorous  salesman  when  he  approaches  his  first 
prospect  in  fear  and  trembling  must  remember  that  his  emotion 
is  simply  due  to  his  lack  of  experience.  After  the  first  few 
calls  and  especially  after  the  first  sale,  he  will  begin  to  feel 
confidence  in  his  ability  to  handle  a  customer ;  and  in  measure 
as  he  handles  a  number  of  customers  successfully  so  will  all 
fear  vanish. 

§  312.     Adequate  Preparation  the  First  Essential 

The  more  the  salesman  drills  himself  in  the  presentation 
of  his  talking  points  and  in  the  use  of  appropriate  answers  to 
objections  that  are  likely  to  be  raised,  the  more  confidence  will 
he  feel  in  his  ability  to  handle  any  situation  and  the  more 
courageously  will  he  approach  even  the  most  churlish  of 
buyers.  It  will  help  him  in  his  approach  if  he  remembers  that 
a  prospect,  no  matter  how  important  or  of  how  peppery  a 
type,  is  after  all  only  a  human  being  like  himself  and  that 
to  sell  goods  as  he  is  now  doing  is  the  daily  task  of  thousands 


THE   FIRE   OF   COURAGE 


301 


the  world  over.  He  is  not  asking  a  favor  or  seeking  to  sell 
something  which  is  not  required.  He  is  approaching  a  pos- 
sible customer  who  when  the  salesman's  offer  is  thoroughly 
understood,  will  in  the  ordinary  course  of  events  be  glad  to 
take  advantage  of  it. 

§  313.     The  Importance  of  the  First  Sale 

A  salesman  tells  the  following  story  about  his  first  sale: 

"During  a  good  breakfast  while  I  sized  up  my  proposition, 
mentally  rehearsed  my  sales  talk,  and  thought  of  the  un- 
answerable nature  of  my  arguments,  I  felt  courageous  and 
eager  to  approach  my  first  prospect.  Breakfast  over,  I  took 
a  street  car  to  the  business  section  where  I  was  going  to  start 
operations.  When  I  got  off  the  car  I  felt  surprised  to  see 
the  building  in  which  my  first  prospect  was  to  be  found  loom 
up  in  front  of  me.     I  began  to  have  cold  feet. 

"To  think  the  matter  over  once  again  I  walked  around  the 
building.  The  comforting  thought  then  came  to  my  mind — 
'well,  after  all  the  prospect  may  not  be  in  his  office.'  By  this 
time  I  began  to  feel  mad  with  myself.  Then  I  gripped  myself 
by  the  back  of  my  collar  and  hustled  myself  along  to  the 
prospect's  door. 

"I  asked  the  girl  at  the  information  desk  for  Mr.  Smith, 
hoping  that  he  would  not  be  in.  When  she  asked  for  my 
card  I  felt  bad.  When  she  returned  in  a  few  minutes  to  say 
that  if  I  would  wait  Mr.  Smith  would  see  me  in  a  few  minutes, 
I  felt  better.  While  waiting  I  went  over  my  opening  state- 
ment half  a  dozen  times  and  impressed  upon  myself  the  im- 
portance of  entering  with  a  smile,  of  being  deliberate,  and  of 
speaking  more  slowly  than  usual. 

"My  first  customer  happened  to  be  a  genial  type  of  fellow. 
He  greeted  me  with  a  hand-shake  and  asked  me  to  take  a 
seat.  I  managed  to  open  my  interview,  I  believe,  without 
any  trace  of  fear  and  three  minutes  later  I  had  completely 


302  '^HE   CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 

forgotten  that  there  was  anything  at  all  to  be  afraid  of  in 
the  enthusiasm  aroused  in  my  mind  by  my  sales  talk.  The 
prospect  raised  several  objections  which  I  was  primed  to 
meet  and  which  I  simply  swept  aside.  This  gave  me  such 
confidence  that  half  an  hour  later  I  left  that  office  with  an 
order  in  my  pocket. 

"This  was  my  first  and  last  experience  of  feeling  afraid 
when  approaching  a  prospect." 

As  in  the  case  of  this  salesman,  lack  of  courage  is  as  a 
rule  due  to  diffidence  and  fear  that  the  sales  arguments  will 
prove  unavailing.  But  if  the  salesman  has  memorized  several 
forms  of  opening  statements  all  designed  to  arouse  attention; 
if  he  remembers  as  he  enters  a  prospect's  presence  to  smile 
and  to  control  the  muscles  of  his  face ;  if  he  takes  pains  to 
speak  slowly  and  deliberately,  knowing  exactly  what  he  is 
going  to  say,  what  points  he  is  going  to  make,  and  in  what 
order,  then  all  fear  and  diffidence  will  quickly  vanish.  A  few 
attempts  will  enable  him  to  acquire  that  confidence  which  is 
essential  in  leading  to  a  successful  sale. 

§  314-     Truth  of  Statement  Gives  Courage 

The  nervous  and  diffident  salesman  will  find  it  far  easier 
to  acquire  courage  when  he  enthusiastically  believes  in  the 
absolute  truth  of  every  statement  he  makes.  Enthusiasm,  as 
emphasized  in  Chapter  XXVII,  is  based  on  confidence.  Con- 
fidence alone  gives  courage.  If  the  salesman  thinks  that  he  is 
handling  an  inferior  line  of  goods  or  that  it  is  necessary  for 
him  to  make  statements  which  are  untrue  in  order  to  make 
a  sale,  he  would  be  well  advised  to  seek  another  connection. 

There  are  any  number  of  large  concerns  whose  products 
are  the  equal  of  any  of  their  kind  which  are  constantly  on  the 
lookout  for  capable  salesmen.  No  capable  man  need  repre- 
sent a  firm  manufacturing  goods  of  an  inferior  quality  or  a 
concern  whose  methods  of  business  will  not  stand  the  strictest 


THE   FIRE   OF   COURAGE 


303 


investigation.  Before  the  salesman  starts  out  on  his  morning 
round  he  must  be  able  mentally  to  convince  himself  that  his 
product  has  certain  advantages  which  make  it  at  least  equal 
to  anything  else  on  the  market.  In  other  words,  he  must 
sell  himself  before  he  begins  his  day's  work  of  selling  to 
others — otherwise  he  will  lack  that  enthusiasm  which  is  like 
the  forced  draft  to  the  fire  of  courage. 

§  315.     The  Effect  of  Untruth  on  the  Repeat  Order 

The  importance  of  absolute  truth  and  honesty  of  state- 
ment will  be  realized  if  the  salesman  remembers  that  any  mis- 
statement will  react  unfavorably  upon  him  when  he  makes  a 
second  call  on  the  same  customer.  If  the  first  sale  is  made 
by  means  of  misrepresentation,  courage  will  certainly  be  lack- 
ing when  the  time  comes  to  face  a  customer  with  a  view  to 
a  repeat  order.  Many  a  salesman  is  led  to  misrepresent  goods 
in  his  eagerness  to  make  a  sale.  If  a  sale  cannot  be  made  by 
honest  statements  and  honest  principles,  it  is  far  better  not 
made. 

The  fellow  with  a  glib  tongue  and  pleasing  address,  who 
makes  a  good  first  impression  and  then  talks  the  prospect  into 
buying  by  means  of  misrepresentation,  cannot  return  year  in 
and  year  out  to  the  same  clients.  The  spell  of  his  personality 
vanishes  before  the  fact  of  the  inferiority  of  his  goods.  Such 
a  salesman  never  has  the  courage  to  meet  the  customer  twice. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  salesman  who  tells  the  truth  and  noth- 
ing but  the  truth  about  his  goods,  even  at  the  risk  of  losing 
an  order,  so  inspires  confidence  that  he  is  welcomed  and  given 
such  business  as  can  be  profitably  granted  him. 

Every  business  thrives  on  the  repeat  order  and  there  is 
nothing  that  will  make  repeat  orders  more  difficult  to  secure 
than  misrepresentation  or  exaggerated  description  which  de- 
ceives the  customer  as  to  the  merits  and  qualities  of  the  goods. 
To  sell  by  deceiving  the  customer  is  suicidal. 


304 


THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 


§  316.     Aim  at  Big  Game 

The  salesman  who  honestly  believes  in  the  merits  of  the 
product  and  who  also  takes  pride  in  the  thought  that  he  is 
equipped  to  meet  every  type  of  buyer  will  find  that  his  cour- 
age increases  in  proportion  as  he  aims  at  big  game.  It  is 
human  nature  to  prefer  to  tackle  the  man  who  is  easily  ap- 
proached because  of  the  relative  unimportance  of  his  business 
and  to  think  that  a  number  of  small  orders  are  just  as  good 
as  a  single  large  order.  The  courageous  salesman,  however, 
does  not  deceive  himself  with  this  form  of  reasoning.  The 
larger  his  orders  the  more  valuable  he  becomes  to  his  house. 
The  bigger  the  way  in  which  a  prospect  carries  on  business 
the  better  for  his  firm.  The  big  customer  may  be  a  little  more 
difiEicult  to  approach  than  the  small  man;  the  salesman  may 
have  to  make  several  calls  before  he  finds  him  unoccupied  and 
willing  to  grant  an  interview ;  but  when  once  in  the  presence 
of  such  a  buyer  the  chance  of  making  a  sale  is  just  as  great 
if  not  greater  than  when  smaller  game  is  tackled. 

Most  business  houses  confine  the  work  of  their  junior 
salesmen  to  their  less  important  customers,  while  the  bigger 
game  are  left  to  the  care  of  men  who  have  had  years  of  ex- 
perience on  the  road.  The  young  salesman  may  by  means  of 
training  in  the  factory  know  just  as  much  about  the  goods  as 
the  older  man.  But  years  of  experience  on  the  road  have  given 
the  older  man  that  confidence  in  his  ability  to  handle  any 
situation  and  meet  any  type  of  customer  which  works  out  in 
courage.  The  young  salesman  will  most  quickly  acquire  this 
courage  by  using  every  opportunity  to  aim  at  big  game. 

§  317.     The  Discipline  of  Facing  Disagreeable  Prospects 

The  salesman  also  develops  his  courage  when  he  forces 
himself  to  interview  a  man  whom  he  knows  to  be  a  disagree- 
able prospect  and  whom  in  consequence  he  would  rather 
avoid.     This  is  a  form  of  self-discipline  which  will  react  on 


THE   FIRE   OF   COURAGE 


305 


the  salesman  in  many  favorable  ways.  To  tackle  one  buyer 
who  is  difficult  to  approach  and  known  to  be  a  grouch  and 
then  sell  to  him,  has  a  better  effect  upon  the  salesman's  cour- 
age than  a  score  of  successes  gained  without  the  overcoming 
of  any  serious  obstacles.  If  he  is  successful  in  such  an  inter- 
dew,  this  will  make  it  easier  for  him  when  the  time  comes 
to  face  another  difficult  customer.  If  he  fails,  this  after  all 
is  part  of  his  day's  work  and  the  mere  fact  that  he  has  tackled 
a  formidable  prospect  and  come  out  unscathed  will  stiffen  his 
courage  for  subsequent  interviews. 

A  salesman  selling  advertising  for  a  well-known  periodi- 
cal was  about  to  make  his  first  call  on  a  customer.  Among 
the  list  of  prospects  handed  to  him  was  .the  name  of  one 
with  a  bad  reputation  because  of  his  hectoring  and  bullying 
manner.  He  had  formerly  advertised  with  the  magazine,  but 
for  reasons  which  he  would  not  definitely  state  he  had  dis- 
continued his  advertisements.  When  salesmen  from  the  peri- 
odical called  on  him  he  frequently  received  them  but  merely 
to  "bulldoze"  them  and  give  them  his  opinion  as  to  the  futil- 
ity of  advertising  in  general  and  the  advertising  of  their  maga- 
zine in  particular. 

Despite  the  warnings  of  his  fellow  salesmen,  the  novice 
determined  to  approach  his  worst  customer  first.  Though  he 
entered  Mr.  Blank's  presence  with  his  heart  thumping  some- 
where near  his  shoes,  his  opening  greeting  was  as  follows: 

"Mr.  Blank,  half  the  men  in  our  offfce  are  scared  to  face 
you  and  I  have  heard  all  about  your  methods  of  turning  us 
down.  I  know  that  you  don't  believe  in  advertising  and  that 
you  say  you  will  never  advertise  in  our  magazine  again.  So 
I  have  come  here  this  morning  to  try  and  find  out  what 
actually  are  your  objections.  I  don't  expect  you  to  sign  a 
contract  for  a  dozen  pages  or  for  even  one  page,  but  I  do 
expect  and  hope  you  will  teach  me  something.  If  I  can  meet 
your  objections  I  guess  I  can  tackle  anybody  else.     If  T  can- 


3o6  THE  CULTIVATION   OF  CHARACTER 

not  meet  them,  it  has  been  a  good  experience  in  facing  you, 
so  now  go  ahead." 

The  blustering  manner  of  Mr,  Blank  changed  before  the 
cheerfulness  of  this  frank  and  open  approach. 

"My  only  objection  to  your  publication  was  that  I  ad- 
vertised in  it  and  it  didn't  bring  results.  Therefore,  when- 
ever one  of  your  men  called  asking  me  to  renew  my  contract 
I  thought  of  the  money  I  had  wasted  in  your  publication  and 
this  made  me  mad." 

"I  appreciate  your  point  of  view,  Mr.  Blank,"  replied  the 
salesman.  "Some  of  our  advertisers  who  have  contracted  for 
space  year  by  year  were  at  first  disappointed  with  their  re- 
sults. You  know  as  a  business  man  that  it  is  impossible  for 
any  publication  to  guarantee  results.  All  that  it  can  do  is  to 
guarantee  its  circulation  and  offer  the  best  service  possible  to 
produce  results.  Now  I  can't  guarantee  results.  But  what 
I  would  like  to  do  is  to  have  the  opportunity  of  mapping  out 
a  new  plan  of  campaign  which  I  believe  will  appeal  to  you 
better  than  the  last.  Then  if  you  agree  that  it  looks  more 
attractive  and  has  more  possibilities  in  it,  you  may  like  to 
try  it  out.  But  I  won't  ask  you  to  consider  anything  until 
I  can  show  you  something  that  will  interest  you  and  that  you 
will  believe  is  worth  a  trial." 

When  the  young  salesman  left  he  was  without  his  order, 
but  he  had  a  promise  from  his  client  to  reconsider  his  de- 
cision if  the  new  series  of  advertisements  which  were  to  be 
drawn  up  met  with  his  approval.  In  addition  to  this  promise 
the  salesman  left  with  much  greater  confidence  in  his  ability 
to  meet  any  situation  that  might  call  for  courage. 

§  318.     The  Self-Discipline  of  Courage  Produces  Initiative 

The  salesman  who  tries  to  develop  his  nerve  and  endur- 
ance in  the  ways  suggested  will  find  that  insensibly  he  begins 
to  reveal  the  desirable  characteristic  of  initiative.     All  men 


THE   FIRE  OF   COURAGE 


307 


who  achieve  something  out  of  the  ordinary  possess  this  trait 
in  a  high  degree.  Their  incomes,  if  they  are  salesmen  or  fol- 
lowing a  commercial  pursuit,  are  larger — often  much  larger — 
than  the  incomes  of  those  who  are  lacking  in  the  ability  to 
lead.  Their  striking  success  is  not  wholly  due  to  their  hon- 
esty or  to  their  loyalty,  although  both  of  these  traits  count 
heavily.  They  forge  ahead  of  others  because  their  initiative 
impels  them  to  do  a  great  deal  more  than  they  are  told  to  do 
and  more  than  is  a  regular  part  of  their  duty. 

Everybody  can  do  what  he  is  told  to  do  and  obey  orders. 
Only  a  minority  display  initiative  and  do  more  than  is  ex- 
pected of  them.  The  salesman  can  begin  by  manifesting  initia- 
tive in  little  things.  First  of  all,  he  becomes  more  familiar 
with  the  goods  which  he  sells  and  with  the  business  in  gen- 
eral than  he  is  required  to  be.  He  uses  his  spare  time  to 
familiarize  himself  not  only  with  ordinary  conditions,  but  with 
everything  pertaining  to  the  business  inside  and  out.  This  pre- 
paratory work  equips  him  to  seize  opportunities  that  other- 
wise he  would  miss  and  then  his  courage  impels  him  to  grasp 
them  and  improve  upon  them. 

Every  employer  expects  his  salesmen  to  be  honest  and 
hard  working  and  to  do  as  they  are  told  to  do;  but  he  does 
not  and  cannot  demand  that  they  show  initiative.  The  sales- 
man who  has  the  courage  to  act  upon  his  convictions  when  a 
favorable  opportunity  presents  itself  will  develop  initiative  and 
forge  ahead  in  the  great  game. 

§  319.     Example  of  Initiative 

A  traveling  salesman  representing  a  flour  manufacturer 
visited  a  town  in  the  Middle  West  which  had  just  experienced 
a  flood.  Hundreds  of  families  were  homeless  and  without 
resources.  The  salesman's  business  was  largely  with  one 
buyer,  a  grocer,  whose  premises  had  been  completely  swept 
away.     The  man  had  formerly  been  a  good  customer  of  the 


3o8  THE  CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 

firm  and  prompt  in  his  payments,  but  such  was  the  loss  that 
he  had  incurred  and  so  serious  seemed  to  be  the  inevitable 
interruption  to  his  trade  that  ruin  stared  him  in  the  face. 
When  the  salesman  called  on  the  dealer  he  found  him  in  the 
depths  of  despondency  and  with  no  suggestions  to  make  as  to 
the  rebuilding  of  his  vanished  business. 

Without  waiting  to  consult  his  house  the  salesman  first 
of  all  promised  a  big  extension  of  credit.  He  then  offered 
on  his  own  responsibility  and  on  behalf  of  his  firm  to  donate 
a  quantity  of  flour  for  the  relief  of  the  inhabitants  if  the 
grocer  would  consult  with  other  business  men  of  the  com- 
munity and  form  a  relief  committee.  He  procured  from  the 
grocer  a  list  of  the  firms  which  had  been  supplying  him  with 
other  lines  of  his  stock,  and  to  each  he  sent  a  wire  briefly 
stating  the  nature  of  the  disaster  and  asking  both  for  contri- 
butions and  for  an  extension  of  credit.  As  the  floods  in  ques- 
tion had  aroused  the  sympathetic  patriotism  of  the  nation, 
these  requests  were  promptly  acceded  to.  The  salesman  spent 
over  $ioo  in  telegrams,  but  before  his  day's  work  was  com- 
pleted he  had  secured  over  $5,000  in  promises  of  help  for 
the  town,  and  extensions  of  credit  for  the  dealer  which  made 
it  possible  for  him  to  begin  to  build  up  a  new  business  and  look 
the  future  in  the  face. 

When  the  members  of  the  firm  heard  of  the  measures 
their  salesman  had  taken,  he  received  their  hearty  commenda- 
tion. The  house  trusted  the  judgment  of  its  representative, 
it  felt  proud  of  the  initiative  he  had  revealed,  and  his  action 
was  approved  of  in  every  way. 

Initiative  of  this  kind,  which  was  founded  on  the  courage 
of  facing  a  disastrous  situation  with  vigorous  promptitude, 
resulted  in  material  advantage  to  the  community,  in  the  re- 
building of  the  retailer's  business,  and  in  the  enhancement  of 
the  salesman's  prestige  as  a  man  of  resource  and  strong  char- 
acter. 


THE   FIRE   OF   COURAGE  309 

§  320,     The  Exercise  of  Initiative  Develops  Faculty  of  Judg- 
ment 

Judgment  presupposes  the  ability  to  weigh  up  the  advan- 
tages for  and  against  a  proposition  and  then  decide  as  to  the 
best  course  to  pursue.  It  is  obvious  that  before  judgment 
can  be  revealed  a  course  of  action  must  be  decided  upon. 
Judgment  is  therefore  the  necessary  corollary  to  initiative. 
If  we  first  manifest  the  courage  of  initiative  and  then  profit 
by  our  mistakes,  insensibly  the  powers  of  judgment  are  de- 
veloped. The  timorous  man  who  is  excessively  cautious  when 
an  opportunity  presents  itself  to  display  initiative  and  to  ex- 
ercise his  judgment  discloses  the  weakness  of  procrastination. 
His  caution  needs  to  be  fortified  by  courage  if  he  is  to  stand 
forth  as  a  man  of  sound  judgment. 

The  combination  of  initiative  and  endurance  when  steadied 
by  the  fly-wheel  of  judgment  and  driven  by  the  force  of  en- 
thusiastic industry,  needs  only  the  lubricant  of  tact  to  round 
out  the  salesman's  personality  until  it  is  as  attractive  and  com- 
pelling as  that  elusive  thing  personality  ever  can  be. 


CHAPTER    XXXII 

TACT  THE  LUBRICANT  OF  THE  SALES 
INTERVIEW 

§  321.     Definition  of  Tact 

Tact  is  the  complement  of  courage  and  is  needed  to  round 
out  the  forceful  personality.  Tact  is  the  intellectual  quality 
as  courage  is  the  moral  quality  of  the  successful  salesman.  It 
is  the  lubricant  which  takes  the  creaks  and  jars  out  of  the 
critical  situation.  The  tactless  salesman  will  find  that  sand 
has  a  way  of  eating  into  the  bearings  of  his  point  of  contact 
with  the  customer.  His  enthusiasm  may  be  working  at  high 
pressure  under  a  full  head  of  steam ;  his  courage  may  give  him 
immense  driving  power;  his  sales  talk  may  form  a  perfect 
piece  of  mechanism ;  but  if  he  lacks  tact  his  work  will  fail — 
just  as  a  piece  of  machinery,  however  carefully  put  together, 
fails  to  act  without  lubrication.  Or  if  it  works  at  all  it  will  be 
painfully,  with  much  creaking  and  groaning. 

Tact  is  that  mental  alertness  which  enables  us  to  say  and 
do  what  is  best  under  the  circumstances.  Every  chapter  in 
this  work  has  been  more  or  less  a  lesson  in ^ tact.  When  an 
appeal  is  made  to  the  right  buying  motive,  tact  is  shown  in 
the  adaptation  of  the  selling  talk  to  the  mental  attitude  of 
the  buyer.  When  manner  and  method  are  varied  to  suit  a 
buyer  of  peculiar  temperament,  the  same  tact  is  displayed. 
Tact  implies  patience,  cheerfulness,  courtesy,  gracious  ac- 
ceptance of  an  inevitable  situation,  close  observation,  the 
power  of  quick  decision  as  to  the  best  thing  to  do  or  to  say,  and 
every  mental  quality  which  conduces  to  the  harmony  of  an 

310 


THE    LUBRICANT    OF   TACT  31I 

interview.  In  its  essence  it  is  the  ability  to  sense  the  thoughts, 
feeHngs,  or  emotions  of  others  so  that  nothing  in  word  or 
deed  antagonizes. 

§  322.     Tact  Is  Revealed  in  Little  Things 

Tact  is  so  all-pervading  and  yet  intangible  in  its  nature 
that  it  can  be  shown  in  many  unobtrusive  ways.  The  most 
obvious  is  to  refrain  from  doing  or  saying  anything  which  will 
hurt  the  feelings  of  others  and  to  do  everything  to  put  others 
at  their  ease.  Many  people  are  deficient  in  tact  because  they 
have  not  the  imagination  to  realize  how  their  thoughtless  re- 
marks or  unconsidered  acts  hurt  more  sensitive  natures.  One 
must  intuitively  sympathize  with  another  person's  weaknesses 
or  deficiencies  to  be  really  tactful.  A  critical  or  contemptuous 
attitude  of  mind  kills  the  sympathy  of  understanding. 

A  lady  entered  a  millinery  store  to  buy  a  hat.  In  com- 
parison with  her  height  her  head  was  unusually  large  and  she 
seemed  to  be  sensitive  at  the  thought  of  drawing  attention  to 
what  in  her  mind  seemed  a  physical  defect.  Half  apologeti- 
cally she  said  to  the  saleswoman : 

"I  don't  know  whether  or  not  you  can  fit  me  because  my 
head  is  so  large.  I  always  have  a  dreadful  time  finding 
something  I  can  wear." 

The  quick-witted  saleswoman  at  once  brought  out  a  hat  that 
was  too  large  for  the  customer,  saying,  "We  have  many  cus- 
tomers who  need  hats  rather  larger  than  the  usual  size  and 
this  is  by  no  means  our  largest  size.  Will  you  try  this  one 
on,  Madam?" 

This  tactful  action  and  these  few  words  sufficed  not  only 
to  relieve  the  customer  of  her  embarrassment  but  to  free  her 
mind  from  the  impression  that  the. size  of  her  head  was  in  any 
way  abnormal.  The  saleswoman  possessed  that  intuitive 
sympathy  which  enabled  her  to  place  herself  in  the  position 
of  another  person. 


312 


THE   CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 


§  323.     The  Tactful  Salesman  Is  Never  Argumentative 

The  tactful  salesman,  as  exemplified  in  Chapters  XVI  and 
XVII,  cultivates  the  art  of  saying  a  difficult  or  contradictory 
thing  in  a  pleasing  way  which  cannot  cause  offense.  As 
much  as  possible  he  avoids  topics  which  lead  to  argument. 
When  argumentative  assertion  is  unavoidable,  under  no  cir- 
cumstance does  he  ever  betray  any  irritability  in  voice  or 
manner,  or  indicate , that  he  is  finding  it  difficult  to  keep  his 
temper  under  control. 

Tact  enables  the  salesman  to  tell  when  it  is  necessary  to 
humor  a  customer's  prejudices  or  to  concede  the  truth  of 
certain  arguments  which  in  some  way  minimize  the  value  of 
the  offer.  Such  concessions  often  inspire  far  more  confidence 
than  contradictory  statements,  however  well  reasoned.  The 
tactful  salesman  is  always  willing  to  concede  non-essentials  if 
by  so  doing  he  can  accentuate  the  importance  of  the  things 
that  are  vital. 

§  324.     Tact  Essential  in  Breaking  Down  Prejudice 

The  irritable,  domineering  type  of  buyer  is  frequently  un- 
reasonable in  his  prejudice.  Only  a  salesman  of  consummate 
tact  who  is  sensitive  to  every  mood  is  competent  to  deal  with 
the  person  who  shows  a  marked  prejudice  out  of  mere 
"cussedness." 

A  dealer  who  had  been  bombarded  with  descriptive  litera- 
ture of  an  adding  machine  became  irritated.  He  believed  he 
had  no  use  for  the  device;  he  resented  in  his  own  mind  the 
fact  that  his  desk  was  littered  with  circulars  which  he  thought 
were  of  no  interest  and  which  in  consequence  promptly  found 
their  way  into  the  waste  basket. 

When  the  adding  machine  salesman  called,  the  prospect's 
greeting  ran:  "I  am  not  interested  in  your  machine.  Be 
good  enough  to  tell  your  mailing  department  not  to  pester 
me  any  more  with  their  circulars.     I  have  no  use  for  such  a 


THE    LUBRICANT    OF   TACT 


313 


device."  He  was  too  much  of  a  gentleman  to  say,  "And 
now  get  out,"  but  his  manner  impHed  it. 

The  salesman  realized  that  if  his  offer  were  to  be  given 
impartial  consideration  he  must  jump  right  into  his  proposi- 
tion. Argumentative  assertion  must  at  all  costs  be  avoided 
and  a  tactful  appeal  made  to  the  customer's  self-interest  in 
his  opening  sentence. 

"Mr.  Jones,"  he  said,  smilingly  and  in  a  suave  voice  which 
compelled  attention,  "you  would  appreciate  the  value  of  a 
pencil  that  would  write  down  any  sum  of  figures  you  wanted 
it  to  write  and  would  then  add  them  up  of  its  own  accord, 
would  you  not?" 

The  irritable  prospect  consented  grudgingly  that  such  a 
pencil  as  described  by  the  salesman  would  be  a  useful  tool  for 
any  ofifice  desk. 

"Well,"  replied  the  salesman  with  the  enthusiasm  of 
manner  that  rarely  fails  to  awaken  interest,  "that  is  just  what 
my  machine  will  do  for  you.  But  it  will  not  only  add  with 
absolute  accuracy;  it  will  divide,  it  will  subtract,  and  it  will 
even  multiply.  In  fact  it  will  do  in  an  hour  as  much  work 
for  you,  and  much  more  accurate  work,  than  any  clerk  can  do 
in  a  day.  It  saves  its  cost  in  wages  alone  within  a  year.  It 
makes  possible  the  compiling  of  statements  that  you  will  find 
invaluable  in  managing  your  business.  Let  me  show  you  not 
one  or  a  half  a  dozen,  but  a  score  of  different  ways  in  which 
you  will  find  the  device  useful.  Just  give  me  five  minutes  and 
I'll  convince  you  that  my  machine  will  pay  for  its  cost  ten 
times  over." 

As  in  this  example,  the  tactful  salesman  never  recognizes 
irritation  in  others  by  answering  a  petulant  argument  with  an 
open  contradiction.  On  the  contrary,  by  means  of  an  apt 
reply  illustrated  by  metaphor  or  simile  he  tries  indirectly  to 
refute  the  weakness  or  unreasonableness  of  his  prospect's 
opposition. 


314 


THE  CULTIVATION   OF   CHARACTER 


§  325.     Tact  Senses  Hopeless  Antagonism 

Certain  natures  are  instinctively  antagonistic  and  any  effort 
to  bridge  the  gulf,  however  tactfully  made,  leaves  a  feeling 
of  constraint.  The  tactful  salesman  can  always  sense  when 
his  personality  jars  on  another.  In  such  circumstances  he 
keeps  himself  in  the  background  as  much  as  possible  and 
makes  no  attempt  to  place  the  interview  upon  a  footing  of 
geniality.  Instead,  every  effort  is  bent  on  switching  the  mind 
of  the  prospect  from  the  salesman's  personality  and  his  ap- 
pearance to  the  sales  talk  and  the  goods.  He  at  once  plunges 
into  his  argument;  if  he  has  any  samples  he  displays  them  as 
quickly  as  possible;  and  he  eliminates  the  "I"  and  his  own 
views  and  opinions  from  the  conversation.  In  so  far  as  he 
succeeds  in  transferring  the  attention  of  the  buyer  from  him- 
self to  his  goods  the  interview  progresses  favorably. 

Many  salesmen  make  the  mistake  of  trying  to  thaw  or 
to  warm-up  the  man  who  is  cold  and  refuses  to  be  genial. 
When  the  customer's  unwilling  mood  is  tactlessly  ignored  and 
an  attempt  is  made  to  thrust  the  salesman's  personality  for- 
ward, any  possible  chance  of  making  a  sale  vanishes. 

§  326.     Tact  Recognizes  the  Hopeless  Prospect 

Occasionally  the  salesman's  visit  will  be  found  to  be  in- 
opportune. There  is  a  right  time  and  a  wrong  time  for  any 
interview  and  the  tactful  salesman  never  wastes  his  own  and 
his  customer's  time  by  insisting  upon  talking  at  the  wrong 
moment. 

A  dealer,  for  example,  may  be  waiting  upon  customers; 
a  buyer  may  be  dictating  to  his  stenographer  or  preparing  to 
leave  the  office ;  or  an  accumulation  of  papers  on  the  desk  may 
indicate  that  the  business  man  is  more  anxious  to  get  on  w^ith 
his  work  than  he  is  to  listen  to  the  salesman.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  tactful  salesman  quickly  sums  up  the  situa- 
tion and  unerringly  decides  whether  it  is  better  to  wait  until 


THE    LUBRICANT    OF   TACT 


315 


he  can  have  the  undivided  attention  of  the  prospect  or  to 
ask  for  another  appointment  and  then  withdraw. 

After  the  interview  begins  the  tactful  salesman  intuitively 
feels  whether  or  not  his  talk  is  convincing.  He  quickly 
recognizes  the  fact  when  he  is  in  the  presence  of  a  stubborn, 
obstinate  type  of  person  who  has  firmly  decided  not  to  allow 
the  argument  to  influence  him  in  his  determination  not  to 
buy.  Under  these  circumstances  he  does  not  blindly  and  per- 
tinaciously continue  his  argument;  he  comes  straight  to  the 
point  by  asking  whether  it  is  a  waste  of  time  for  him  to 
continue  his  sales  talk.  But  he  does  this  apparently  tactless 
thing  with  such  tactful  sincerity  and  openness  that  the  cus- 
tomer instead  of  being  offended  is  rather  disarmed. 

In  many  cases  tact  of  this  kind  dissolves  antagonism  and 
transforms  a  man  who  has  obstinately  determined  not  to  be 
convinced  into  a  reasonable  human  being  who  is  willing  to 
give  a  fair  hearing  to  the  proposition. 

§  327.     Tact  in  Its  Negative  Aspect 

As  the  whole  purpose  of  this  book  is  more  or  less  a 
study  of  the  art  of  revealing  tact,  the  subject  may  be  concluded 
with  a  brief  summary  of  the  negative  aspect  of  tact. 

Mere  obsequiousness  is  not  tact.  Flattery  is  not  tact.  To 
try  always  to  please  and  ingratiate  oneself  is  not  necessarily 
tact.  Success  in  salesmanship  implies  the  ability  to  make 
people  do  what  the  salesman  wants  them  to  do.  Often  he 
finds  he  is  faced  with  strong  opposition  that  calls  for  all 
his  fighting  qualities.  But  because  these  very  fighting  qualities 
are  used  discreetly,  he  does  not  lose  the  respect  of  his  opponent, 
but  on  the  contrary  wins  admiration  and  frequently  liking. 

Tact  does  not  always  imply  stating  the  plain  and  un- 
varnished truth,  yet  the  man  who  lies  has  no  tact.  Tact  does 
not  always  entail  an  absolutely  accurate  description;  yet  the 
man  who  exaggerates  lacks  tact.     In  short  this  essential  quali- 


3i6  THE   CULTIVATION    OF   CHARACTER 

fication  of  tact  implies  the  ability  to  look  through  the  eyes  of 
the  listener ;  to  tell  him  what  he  would  like  to  know  so  far  as 
truth  permits;  to  sympathize  with  him  in  his  mental  attitude; 
to  weigh  up  the  advantages,  for  and  against,  of  seeking  to 
lead  the  customer  either  by  reason  or  persuasion  or  of  driving 
him  by  the  strength  of  personality — and  to  act  accordingly. 
This  summarizes  the  whole  art  of  tactful  salesmanship. 

§  328.     Summary  of  Development  of  Personality 

If  you  will  try  and  keep  on  trying  you  can  bring  your 
personality  into  such  a  state  of  discipline  that  you  will  make 
an  impression  of  effective,  self-controlled  alertness  upon  all 
whom  you  meet.  There  will  be  no  slackers  among  the  forces 
of  your  personality.  All  5^our  powers  will  be  constantly 
mobilized.  Get  your  mental  equipment  first,  and  then  strive 
zealously  to  round  out  your  personality  by  using  those  traits 
in  which  you  feel  yourself  deficient,  and  you  will  strengthen 
every  mental  and  moral  power  in  proportion  as  you  bring  them 
under  control  of  your  will.    This  is  the  secret  of  self-discipline. 

To  develop  yourself  in  the  way  suggested  is  an  achieve- 
ment of  which  every  man  is  in  some  degree  capable.  The  at- 
tainment of  this  end  rests  ultimately  upon  one  thing,  persis- 
tence. You  must  take  up  one  thing  at  a  time  and  see  that 
thing  through  to  the  bitter  end.^ 

If  you  will  take  up  one  of  those  numerous  aspects  of  your 
mental  or  moral  training  which  have  been  considered  in  de- 
tail and  will  work  deliberately  and  steadfastly  day  by  day 
until  by  study  and  practice  you  have  assimilated  the  knowl- 
edge or  strengthened  the  trait  in  which  you  are  weak,  you 
will  find  before  you  realize  it  that  your  personality  is  being 
made  over,  and  that  your  character  is  gradually  improving. 

First  study  your  proposition.  Then  go  out  and  sell  it. 
Then  study  yourself  and  your  failures,  and  do  better.  That 
is  the  secret  of  success  in  the  art  of  salesmanship. 


APPENDIX 
QUESTIONS  AND  PROBLEMS 


PART  I— PREPARING  TO  MEET  THE  CUSTOIMER 

Chapter  I — The  Study  and  Practice  of  the  Art  of  Salesmanship 

1.  Give  three  examples  of  the  exercise  of  salesmanship  in  other 

than  the  commonly  understood  manner  of  selling  goods. 

2.  Give  an  example,  from  personal  experience  if  possible,  of  the  use 

of  tact  in  selling  goods. 

3.  As    a   test   of   imagination,   describe    how   you   would    go   about 

finding  prospects  for  typewriters. 

4.  Why  is  it  difficult  to  construct  a  sales  talk  about  the  goods  with- 

out considering  the  customer? 

5.  As  a  test  of  ability  to  impart  knowledge  to  others,  define  in  your 

own     language     the     following:       salesmanship,     personality, 
lucidity,  imagination,  tact,  courage. 

Chapter  II — Motives  Behind  All  Buying 

1.  Explain  what  a  "buying  motive"  is  and  why  it  must  be  appealed 

to  in  the  construction  of  the  sales  argument. 

2.  Name  some  of  the  more  important  buying  motives. 

3.  Name  three  articles  the  purchase  of  which  will  satisfy  each  of 

these  instincts. 

4.  What  is  the  strongest  instinct  usually  concerned  in  the  purchase 

of  the   following  articles   by   the   consumer:   stoves,   tobacco, 
tables,  dress  suits,  pictures,  canoes,  toys? 

5.  What  are  the  buying  motives  in  the  following  instances? 

(a)  A  merchant  buys  a  new  show-case  for  his  store. 

(b)  A  real  estate  dealer  buys  a  large  diamond  for  the  purpose 

of  impressing  people  with  his  success  so  that  they  may 
have  greater  confidence  in  him. 

(c)  A  school  buys  100  text-books  for  use  in  classes. 

(d)  A  student  buys  an  expensive  bookcase  in  which  to  keep 

his  books. 

(e)  A  merchant  buys  an  adding  machine  because  it  eliminates 

errors. 

(f)  A  man  buys   a  plot   of   land  with  the  object   of  selling 

again. 

319 


320 


APPENDIX 


6.  Give  three  examples  of  sales  in  which  three  instincts  may  be 

appealed  to. 

7.  Some  instincts  not  covered  in  this  chapter  are :    love  of  home, 

love  of  refinement,  justice,  kindness.  Give  examples  of  an 
appeal  to  each  of  these  instincts. 

8.  To  what  instinct  should  the  salesman  first  make  his  appeal  ? 

9.  How  may  the  salesman  determine  what  the  buying  motives  are? 

Chapter  III — Attitudes  of  Buyer  and  Salesman 

1.  What  is  the  mental  attitude  of  the  wholesale  buyer  toward  sales- 

men ? 

2.  What  are  the  two  classes  of  specialty  buyers? 

3.  What  is  the  general  mental  attitude  of  each  toward  salesmen  ? 

4.  What  should  be  the  general  attitude  of  the  salesman  toward  each 

class  of  buyers? 

5.  How  can  the  appeal  to  the  motive  of  profit  be  strengthened? 

6.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  mental  attitude  of  an  old 

customer  and  of  a  new  prospect  toward  a  salesman  ? 

7.  What  do  you  think  would  be  the  difference  between  the  general 

attitude  of  a  merchant  in  a  small  country  town  and  that  of  a 
merchant  in  a  large  city? 

8.  Assume  that  there   is  a  shortage   of   raw  materials   for  paper- 

making,  that  prices  are  advancing  rapidly.  How  would  this 
affect  the  attitude  of  the  buyer  of  a  paper-mill  toward  sales- 
men? 

9.  What  is  the  broad  distinction  between  selling  at  wholesale  and 

selling  a  specialty — so  far  as  the  attitudes  of  buyer  and  sales- 
man are  concerned  ? 

Chapter  IV — The  Preparation  of  the  Selling  Talk 

1.  What  is  the  best  method  of  learning  a  sales  talk? 

2.  Why  should  a  variety  of  sales  arguments  be  memorized  until 

the  student  is  "word  perfect"? 

3.  What  is  the  most  important  of  all  factors  to  bear  in  mind  when 

considering  the  sales  talk  as  a  whole? 

4.  Analyze  the  following,  showing  what  the  talking  points  are ;  also 

build  up  the  selling  arguments  therefrom: 

(a)  To  a  grocer:  a  line  of  canned  peaches. 

(b)  To  a  haberdasher:  a  line  of  men's  shirts. 


QUESTIONS   AND   PROBLEMS  321 

(c)  To  a  housewife  in  her  home :  a  Hne  of  aluminum  ware. 

(d)  To  a  retail  customer:  a  box  of  shoe  polish  and  a  fountain 

pen. 
In    analyzing   these    articles    the   student    will    be    more    or 
less  unfamiliar  with  the  product.     The  object,  however,  is  to 
set  down  what  the  student  considers  the  talking  points  and  the 
general  argument  which  might  be  used. 

Chapter  V — The  Customer's  Mental  Journey 

1.  Define  the  mental  state  of  attention;  interest;  desire;  decision. 

2.  Analyze  the  following  sale,  showing  where  the  mental  steps  are 

developed :  A  gentleman  purchases  a  shirt  in  a  haberdashery 
store.  As  soon  as  he  makes  his  selection  the  salesman  says, 
"Have  you  a  scarf  that  correctly  harmonizes  with  this  shirt?" 
"Well,  I  don't  know,"  the  customer  replies.  Salesman  takes  a 
brown  scarf  from  a  rack,  lays  it  on  the  shirt,  and  says,  "You 
notice  the  unfavorable  effect  of  wearing,  for  instance,  a  brown 
tie  against  the  red  stripes  in  this  shirt — the  colors  do  not  hai- 
monize.  Now  here  is  a  tie"  (substitutes  one  of  dark  blue) 
"that  harmonizes  with  it.  Doesn't  that  look  fine?  Here  is 
another  that  gives  a  tasteful  impression."  Salesman  hands 
both  scarfs  to  customer,  who  tries  them  against  the  shirt  to 
observe  the  effect.  As  he  appears  undecided,  the  salesman 
says,  "Why  not  take  both?"     "I  will,"  replies  the  customer. 

3.  Give  general  reasons  why  customers  show  indecision. 

4.  What  are  the  two  kinds  of  interest? 

5.  Why  is  not  the  purchase  always  made  when  desire  is  aroused? 

6.  What  reasons  make  a  prospect  who  has  reached  the  stage  of  de- 

sire hesitate  before  making  a  decision? 

7.  Give     three  examples  of  sales  in  which  decision  would  be  easy 

to  secure. 

8.  Give  three  examples  of  sales  in  which  it  would  be  difiicult  to 

secure. 

9.  How  does  the  natural  temperament  of  the  prospect  affect  the 

securing  of  the  decision  ? 

Chapter  VI — Modes  and  Methods  of  Arousing  Interest 

1.  Why  is  enthusiasm  important  in  arousing  interest? 

2.  Give  three  examples  of  the  simple  method  of  arousing  interest. 


322 


APPENDIX 


3.  Give  three  examples  of  the  demonstration  method  of  arousing 

interest. 

4.  Explain   how   the  demonstration   method   of   approach   might  be 

used  in  the  following: 

(a)  In  selling  a  gas  lighter  to  the  home. 

(b)  In  selling  oleomargarin  to  a  grocer. 

(c)  In  selling  matches  to  a  grocer. 

(d)  In  selling  paper  for  printing  to  an  advertising  agency. 

5.  Give  examples  of  the  use  of  "direct  appeal"  in  arousing  interest 

in  the  following: 

(a)  In  selling  hats  to  a  hat  store. 

(b)  In  selling  package  sugar  to  a  customer  in  a  grocery  store. 

(c)  In  selling  stockings  to  the  home. 

(d)  In  selling  a  check  protector. 

6.  Illustrate  how  an  arbitrary  connection  with  interests  of  the  pros- 

pect might  be  made  in  the  following  instances : 

(a)  In  selling  a  duplicating  machine  to  a  prospect  from  whom 

the  salesman  has  received  a  circular  letter. 

(b)  In  selling  rubber  cushions  for  typewriter  keys  to  a  typist 

who  has  recently  competed  in  a  speed  contest. 

(c)  In  selling  bread  in  a  grocery  store  to  a  customer  who  has 

been  in  the  habit  of  baking  her  own  bread  and  has  just 
recovered  from  an  illness. 

7.  Give  two  illustrations  of  the  "flank"  approach. 

8.  Correct  the  following  opening  remarks  : 

(a)  By   a   jobber's   salesman   to   a   grocer,   "Are  you   in   the 

market  for  anything  today  ?" 

(b)  To  a  customer  in  the  electrical  goods  department  of  a  de- 

partment  store :     "Would  you   be   interested   in  seeing 
some  electric  irons?" 

(c)  To  a  business  man  in  his  office:    "Have  you  a  few  minutes 

to  spare?    I  want  to  explain  a  proposition  to  you." 

(d)  To   a   garage   owner   by   a   salesman   offering   a   line   of 

automobile  polish :     "I  should  like  to  interest  you  in  a 
new  line  of  automobile  polish." 

Chapter  VII — Interesting  the  Retail  Customer 

I.    Stale  what  questions  you  would  ask  a  retail  customer  under  the 
following  circumstances : 
(a)   Customer  says  she  is  interested  in  buying  a  pair  of  shoes. 


QUESTIONS    AND    PROBLEMS 


323 


(b)  Customer  in  a  stationery  store  asks  to  see  some  writing 

paper. 

(c)  Customer  in  a  drug  store  wishes  to  buy  a  tooth-brush. 

(d)  Customer  in  a  furniture  store  says  she  is  looking  for  a 

dining  room  table. 

2.  What  is  the  object  of  showing  a  variety  of  goods? 

3.  How  many  different  articles  would  you  show  in  the  case  of  the 

following  sale:   shoes,  hats,  pocket-knives,  hair-brushes? 

4.  How  would  you  deal  with  the  customer  who  is  "looking  around," 

after  she  has  said  she  does  not  wish  to  be  shown  anything? 

5.  What  is  the  rule  to  apply  in  determining  the  price  of  goods  to  be 

shown  ? 

6.  How  may  discussion  with  regard  to  sizes  be  avoided? 

7.  Why  should  claims  of  superiority  not  be  made  unless  supported 

by  evidence? 

8.  Give  two  positive  remarks  that  might  be  made  in  showing  each 

of  the  following:  shoes,  writing  paper,  tooth-brush,  dining 
room  table,  baseball,  hat. 

9.  A  boy  enters  a  sporting  goods  store  and  asks  for  a  "Thomas" 

baseball.  The  store  does  not  keep  them.  Illustrate  how  the 
salesman  may  proceed  to  sell  the  "Harvard"  baseball. 

10.  A   customer  asks  in  a  hardware  store   for  a  "Harper's"  knife. 

The  store  does  not  keep  it.  Its  leading  brand  is  the  "Gem" 
knife,  which  is  equal  in  quality  to  the  Harper's,  but  the  store 
considers  the  line  better  for  the  reason  that  the  manufacturer 
maintains  an  unusually  efficient  inspection  service  which  pre- 
vents defective  knives  from  passing  through  the  factory.  In- 
corporate this  information  in  a  brief  sales  talk. 

11.  A  customer  enters  a  hardware  store  and  asks  for  a  "Harper's" 

knife.  These  the  store  has.  The  store  desires  to  push  the 
"Gem"  brand  for  which  it  holds  exclusive  agency.  Explain 
how  you  would  attempt  to  sell  the  latter  brand. 

12.  A    lady    enters    a    furniture    store    to   buy   a   dining   room    table 

and  asks  to  be  shown  some  of  oak.  The  store  has  tables  of 
maple  which  it  wants  to  dispose  of  and  which  have  been 
marked  down.  Describe  how  you  would  proceed  to  sell  the 
latter. 

13.  A  lady  enters  the   furniture  department  of  a  department   store 

and  on  being  approached  by  a  salesman  says  she  merely  wishes 


324- 


APPENDIX 


to  look  around.  The  salesman  notices  that  she  pays  particular 
attention  to  wicker  rocking  chairs.  Several  chairs  of  this  kind 
have  been  marked  down.  Describe  what  you  would  do  in 
such  a  case. 
14,  A  man  comes  into  a  drug  store  and  says  he  is  interested  in  a 
safety  razor.  The  store  carries  three  kinds — a  $1  razor,  a  $4 
razor,  and  a  $5  razor.  The  $4  kind  is  an  exclusive  brand ;  the 
$5  one  pays  the  largest  profit.  So  far  as  the  store  is  con- 
cerned, there  is  no  choice  between  selling  the  $4  kind  and  the 
$5  kind.  What  razor  or  razors  would  you  show  to  the  cus- 
tomer and  what  sales  talk  would  you  use? 

Chapter  VIII — Vividness  of  Mental  Impressions 

1.  Improve  the  following  statements  by  making  them  more  definite: 

(a)  Our  goods  are  the  best. 

(b)  Your  boy  could  have  a  lot  of  fun  with  this  automobile 

cart. 

(c)  You  ought  to  have  a  storage  tank.    You  could  save  money 

on  your  gasoline.     (This  is  said  to  an  automobile  owner 
who  buys  gasoline  at  the  garage.) 

(d)  This  cloth  is  very  durable. 

(e)  This  hot  water  bottle  will  last  a  long  time. 

(f)  A  telephone  would  save  you  much  time. 

(g)  A  new  sign  on  the  front  of  your  store  would  be  a  good 

investment  for  you. 

2.  Give  examples  illustrating  the  use  of  similes  in  making  state- 

ments about:   gloves,  pocket-knives,  writing  paper. 

3.  Give  examples  illustrating  the  use  of  metaphors  in  making  state- 

ments about:    books,  furniture,  clothing,  oranges. 

4.  Illustrate  reasoning  by  analogy  in  the  following  circumstances : 

(a)  A  prospect  says,  "I  have  got  along  so  far  all  right  with- 

out an  insurance  policy.     I  can  get  along  without  it  a 
little  longer." 

(b)  A  salesman  offering  a  system  of  loose-leaf  records  to  a 

business    concern   using   old-style    ledgers    receives    the 
response,  "Our  present  method  is  satisfactory." 

(c)  A  salesman  offering  carbon  paper  to  a  business  man  re- 

ceives the  objection,  "I  can  buy  more  cheaply." 


QUESTIONS    AND    PROBLEMS  325 

Chapter  IX — Winning  the  Interview 

1.  What  is  the  one  definite  rule  for  securing  an  interview  that  is 

hard  to  obtain? 

2.  How   extreme  may   be   the   salesman's   methods   of   securing   an 

interview  ? 

3.  Suppose  your  card  is  returned  by  the  boy  who  says,  "Nothing 

doing,  the  boss  is  mad  today  and  won't  see  anybody."  What 
would  you  do? 

4.  A  salesman  may  sometimes  be  told  that  "The  buyer  will  see  him 

in  a  little  while  if  he  cares  to  wait."  After  half  an  hour  the 
boy  tells  him  that  he  thinks  the  buyer  is  going  out  as  he  has 
put  his  hat  on.  What  would  you  do  under  these  circum- 
stances ? 

5.  The  buyer  for  a  jewelry  department  in  a  store  sends  word  that 

he  will  see  the  salesman  next  day.  When  he  calls  he  is  told 
that  the  buyer  finds  there  is  nothing  he  wants,  so  cannot  see 
him.     What  should  be  done? 

6.  How  can  the  salesman  win  the  friendliness  and  co-operation  of 

subordinates? 

Chapter  X — The  Generalship  of  the  Preapproach 

1.  What  is  the  preapproach  and  why  is  it  often  necessary? 

2.  Give  three  examples   illustrating  its  value. 

3.  State  what  knowledge  might  be  usefully  obtained   in   the  pre- 

approach to  a  sale  of : 

(a)  Glassware  to  a  retail  glass  and  china  store. 

(b)  Leather  belting  to  factories. 

(c)  Magazine  subscriptions  to  the  home. 

(d)  Coffee  in  bulk  to  grocers. 

4.  How  can   the   salesman   estimate   the   buying  power   ai  a   retail 

store  ? 

5.  How  can  he  estimate  the  buying  power  of  a  lady  when  calling 

upon  her  at  her  home? 

6.  How  might  the  following  information  be  utilized? 

(a)  A   young  lady   enters   a   furniture   store.     The   salesman 

knows  she  is  about  to  be  married. 

(b)  A  man  enters  a  hardware  store  to  buy  a  safety  razor.    The 

clerk  knows  that  he  owns  an  automobile. 

(c)  An   automobile   owner  calls   at   an   automobile   accessory 


326 


APPENDIX 

store  to  buy  an  inner  tube.     The  salesman  knows  that 
he  has  just  had  a  bad  blow-out. 

(d)  A  salesman  offers  an  unadvertised  line  of  pickles  to  a 

grocer.     He  know*s  the  grocer  is  partial  to  advertised 
lines  because  he  finds  they  sell  more  easily. 

(e)  A  wholesale  fish  salesman  calls  on  the  owner  of  a  summer 

hotel.    He  knows  that  the  hotel  is  only  half  filled. 

(f)  A  printing  salesman  learns  that  a  certain  concern  he  has 

been  following  up  has  a  new  advertising  manager. 


PART  II— IN  CONTACT  WITH  THE  CUSTOMER 

Chapter  XI— The  Delivery  of  the  Sales  Talk  as  a  Whole 

1.  Explain  why  a  single  sales  canvass  learned  by  rote  is  a  weak 

method  of  presenting  the  argument. 

2.  What  are  the  advantages  of  using  elaborated  talking  points  and 

how  can  these  be  best  employed? 

3.  Enumerate  three  rules  for  making  the  sales  talk  convincing. 

4.  Build  up  progressive  assertions  by  means  of  which  the  customer 

will  be  led  to  acknowledge  that  he  is  losing  several  thousand 
dollars  a  year  because  his  factory  is  not  equipped  with  a  piece 
of  labor-saving  machinery  which  saves  the  wages  of  six  men 
at  $2.50  a  day,  costs  $500,  and  is  automatic  in  action. 

5.  What  group  of  talking  points  should  be  presented  first  in  the 

following  instances  and  what  buying  motives  should  be  ap- 
pealed to  by  them  ? 

(a)  A  salesman  offers  a  department  store  buyer  some  ladies' 

vanity  cases  in  which  the  quality  is  the  same  as  those  the 
store  is  now  handling,  but  the  price  is  considerably 
lower.  The  buyer  has  never  heard  of  the  concern 
before. 

(b)  A  salesman  offers   a  vacuum  cleaner  costing  $25  to   the 

housewife. 

(c)  A  salesman  offers  an  expensive  automobile  to  a  prospect 

who  is  satisfied  to  run  the  small  car  he  now  owns. 

(d)  A  retail  salesman  in  a  hardware  store  suggests  to  a  cus- 

tomer who  has  just  made  a  purchase  that  he  buy  a  kit 
of  tools. 


QUESTIONS    AND    PROBLEMS  327 

Chapter  XII — Things  to  Remember  in  Opening  the  Interview 

1.  What  factors  need  to  be  considered  in  securing  the  attention  of 

the  customer? 

2.  What  should  be  the  first  impression  the   buyer  gains   from  the 

salesman's  manner  and  appearance? 

3.  Is  it  necessary  for  the  salesman  first  to  introduce  himself? 

4.  When  is  it  wise  to  use  a  card  in  introducing  one's  self? 

5.  When  should  the  salesman  offer  to  shake  hands? 

6.  Should  a  salesman  ever  apologize   for  taking  up  the   prospect's 

time? 

7.  How  should  the  salesman  deal  with  a  customer  who  gives  him 

only  divided  attention  ? 

8.  How  should  the  salesman  proceed  if  he  is  unable  to  gain  favor- 

able attention? 

9.  W'hat  should  the   retail   salesman  do  when  he   sees   a   customer 

approaching? 

10.  What  should  be  the  introduction  of  the  retail  salesman  ? 

11.  How   should  he  introduce  himself  to  the  customer  who  by  her 

manner  indicates  that  she  is  "looking  around"  ? 

Chapter  XIII — Things  to  Remember  in  the  Body  of  the  Inter- 
view 

1.  What  is  the  difference  between  comparison  and  "knocking"? 

2.  A  wholesale  stationery  salesman  offering  pencils  to  a  stationery 

store  meets  the  objection,  "These  pencils  I  now  handle  cost 
the  same  as  yours  and  they  have  a  better  finish."  What  should 
the  reply  be  ? 

3.  Explain  how  a  salesman   selling  shirts  to  a  haberdasher  might 

make  a  comparison  between  his  goods  and  a  competitor's  with- 
out "knocking." 

4.  Name  four  articles  that  require  demonstrating  in  order  to  make 

a  sale. 

;;.  Name  four  articles  with  which  demonstration  is  not  absolutely 
necessary,  but  could  be  used  to  advantage. 

6.  What  is  wrong  with  tlie  following  procedure?  A  salesman  call- 
ing on  a  druggist  introduces  himself  and  then  says,  "Mr. 
Brown,  how  much  does  your  business  in  rubber  goods  amount 
to?" 


328  APPENDIX 

7.  What  kind  of  testimonials  exert  the  strongest  influence? 

8.  When  are  direct  testimonials  most  effective? 

9.  When  are  indirect  testimonials  most  effective? 

10.    Give  two  examples  of  the  use  of  indirect  testimonials. 

Chapter  XIV — Different  Types  of   Customers  and   How  to 
Deal  with  Them 

1.  \\'hat  would  be  the  attitude  of  the  following  buyers  towards  the 

salesman  ? 

(a)  The  wholesale  buyer  who  is  ignorant  and  conceited  and 

decides  matters  by  snap  judgment. 

(b)  The   careless,   easy-going,   retail   buyer  who   is   given   to 

relating  stories  irrelevant  to  business. 

(c)  The  stolid,  skeptical,  yet  able,  specialty  buyer  who  continu- 

ally finds  fault  with  the  offer  and  who  never  buys  with- 
out first  trying  to  secure  lower  prices  or  better  terms. 

(d)  The    good-natured  buyer   who   agrees   to   everything   the 

salesman  says,  but  refuses  to  buy  until  he  has  had  time 
to  consider  the  proposition. 

(e)  The  cautious,  undecided  specialty  buyer  who  listens  stolid- 

ly to  the  salesman's  selling  talk  but  who,  when  asked 
for  an  opinion,  replies,  "Well,  I  don't  know,"  or  a 
similar  hopeless  remark. 

2.  What  should  be  the  salesman's  general  conduct  in  each  of  the 

above  cases  ? 

Chapter  XV — Characteristic  Retail  Types 

1.  Describe    the    characteristics    of    an    extreme    type    of   irritable 

shopper. 

2.  How    should    the    haughty,    supercilious    type    of    customer    be 

handled  ? 

3.  How  can  the  irresolute  person  who  finds  it  difficult  to  make  up 

her  mind  be  helped  to  come  to  a  decision? 

4.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  ask  the  irresolute  type  of  customer  more 

questions  than  would  as  a  rule  be  necessary? 

Chapter  XVI — Objections  and  How  to  Answer  Them 

I.    Why  is  it  necessary  to  prepare  answers  and  rejoinders  to  ob- 
jections? 


QUESTIONS    AND    PROBLEMS  329 

2.  Explain   the   two   kinds   of  objections   and  different  methods   of 

meeting  them. 

3.  What  should  be  the  attitude  of  the  salesman  when  he  is  com- 

pelled to  contradict  the  buyer? 

4.  To  what  is  the  indecision  of  the  buyer  frequently  due? 

5.  How  are  excuses  best  answered? 

6.  When  an  objection  is  raised  as  to  quality  what  is  the  best  pro- 

cedure ? 

7.  How  can  an  objection  as  to  price  be  best  handled  in  different 

cases? 

8.  How  is   the   objection,   "We  are   satisfied   with   present   connec- 

tions," effectively  met?    Construct  your  own  reply. 

9.  When  a  dealer  says  he  has  no  room  for  a  new  line,  what  should 

the  salesman  reply? 

10.  What  should  the  salesman's  attitude  be  toward  the  buyer  who  is 

in  a  pessimistic  mood? 

11.  When   combating   a   positive    statement   that   is   erroneous,   what 

must  the  salesman  do  to  avoid  flatly  contradicting  the  buyer? 

12.  What  is  the  best  method  of  handling  the  customer  who  has  a 

grievance  ? 

Chapter  XVII — Excuses  and  How  to  Meet  Them 

1.  How  should  the  excuse,  "I  can't  afford  it,"  be  met? 

2.  Construct  an  answer  to  the  excuse,  "I  can't  afford  it,"  in  the 

case  of  a  woman  shopper  who  is  examining  several  makes  of 
gramophones  and  objects  to  the  price  of  the  finest  instrument. 
She  has  several  children. 

3.  Construct  an  answer  to  the  objection  that  a  customer  who  is  a 

student  cannot  afford  to  buy  a  typewriter  when  easy  terms  of 
payment  at  the  rate  of  15  cents  a  day  are  offered. 

4.  How   should   the   excuse,   "I   am  too  busy   to  decide   now,"   be 

answered? 

5.  Give  an  effective  reply  to  the  excuse,  "I'll  have  to  think  it  over." 

6.  Ans.wer  the  following  objections  or  excuses: 

(a)  A  salesman  representing  a  shoe  manufacturer  calls  on  the 

buyer  of  a  department  store  with  a  line  of  children's 
shoes  designed  on  new  lasts.  The  buyer  says,  "I  know 
all  about  your  proposition  and  it  is  nothing  we  are  inter- 
ested in." 

(b)  A  salesman  calls  on  a  druggist  who  says,  "I  know  in  ad- 


330  APPENDIX 

vance  that  I  don't  want  your  goods,  so  you  will  only  be 
wasting  my  time  to  go  on." 

(c)  The   proprietor  of  a   small   five-and-ten-cent  store   when 

offered  a  line  of  kitchen  knives  says,  "I  buy  such  goods 
from  a  friend." 

(d)  A  salesman  calling  on  a  hat  store  with  a  line  of  caps  is 

met  with  the  objection,  "Your  house  did  not  use  me  well 
on  a  former  occasion." 

(e)  Another   prospect  of  the   same  salesman   objects,   "Your 

line  is  too  good  for  my  trade.  They  demand  cheaper 
caps." 

(f)  A  grocer  who  is  offered  a  new  breakfast  food  says,  "If  I 

can  return  what  I  don't  sell  I  will  give  you  an  order." 
This  is  not  allowed  by  the  house. 

(g)  A  salesman   offering  flour  calls  on  the   head   of  a   large 

bakery  and  is  met  with  the  response,  "I  haven't  time 
to  talk  with  you  today."  The  salesman  cannot  go  back 
again  as  he  must  leave  town  within  two  hours. 

(h)  A  manufacturer's  salesman  tries  to  sell  a  line  of  arch 
supporters  to  a  shoe  dealer.  The  merchant  replies,  "I 
have  had  no  demand  for  such  goods." 

(i)  A  prospect  for  an  adding  machine  admits  that  the  ma- 
chine would  be  a  good  thing  for  him  to  own,  but  that 
it  costs  too  much. 

Chapter  XVIII— The  Diplomacy  of  the  Close 

1.  In  what  respect  does  the  close  differ  from  any  other  part  of  the 

sales  interview? 

2.  When  should  the  salesman  attempt  to  close  and  how  often  ? 

3.  What  is  the  most  important  thing  to  remember  when  the  sales- 

man wishes  to  test  the  customer's  mental  attitude  toward  an 
order  ? 

4.  Why  should  the  close  never  be  put  in  the  form  of  a  query? 

5.  Explain  what  is  meant  by  painting  a  mental  picture. 

6.  Illustrate  this  by  showing  how  it  may  be  done  by  a  salesman 

selling  an  $8  dictionary  to  an  office  clerk  earning  $20  a  week. 
The  clerk  is  married  and  has  two  children  who  are  going  to 
school. 

7.  Give  an  example  of  a  closing  summary  which  depicts  the  cus- 

tomer using  the  goods  when  the  following  articles  are  bought : 


QUESTIONS   AND   PROBLEMS  33I 

an  expensive  sealskin  coat,  a  beautiful  oil  painting,  a  summer 
bungalow,  a  rare  set  of  china,  a  motor  boat. 
8.    Make  the  following  remarks  more  positive : 

(a)  Is  your  stock  pretty  well  filled  up? 

(b)  I  don't  think  this  pattern  is  as  attractive  as  the  other. 

(c)  These  light  colors  don't  seem  to  be  so  popular  this  season. 

(d)  This  butter  is  a  day  older  than  the  other. 

(e)  This  candy  doesn't  come  in  such  a  good-looking  box  as 

that,  but  it  is  really  just  as  good.  The  lower  price  is 
due  to  the  fact  that  it  comes  in  a  cheaper  box. 

(f)  You   will   find    that   the    Smith    Manufacturing   Company 

won't  give  you  as  quick  deliveries  as  we  will. 

(g)  That  book  is  not  quite  so  popular  as  this  one.  , 
(h)   Will  a  dozen  eggs  be  too  many  for  you? 

Chapter  XIX — Things  to  Remember  when  Closing 

1.  What  is  meant  by  "managing  the  interview"? 

2.  Why  is  it  necessary  for  the  salesman  to  manage  the  interview? 

3.  A  wholesale  salesman  has  just  received  an  order  for  linoleums 

from  a  new  customer.  Describe  what  he  should  do  and  say 
after  writing  the  order  and  securing  the  signature. 

4.  Illustrate   how   decision   may   be    secured   in   the    following   in- 

stances : 

(a)  A   customer   in   a   stationery   store   is   buying  a   box   of 

stationery  and  is  doubtful  as  to  whether  to  buy  initial 
stationery  or  plain. 

(b)  A  customer  is  buying  a  flash-light  and  does  not  know 

whether  to  buy  a  vest-pocket  size  or  a  larger  one. 

5.  A  salesman  offering  canned  peaches   to  a  grocer  has   aroused 

desire.  The  grocer  has  asked  the  terms  and  th?  salesman 
has  named  them.  Describe  how  he  may  proceed  to  secure 
decision. 

6.  Correct  the  following: 

A  salesman  is  selling  kitchen-  chairs  to  a  furniture  store. 

The  salesman  says,  "Now,  Mr. ,  I  have  explained  to  you 

the  superior  merits  of  these  chairs  and  you  have  seen  that  they 
are  stronger  and  have  a  better  finish  than  anything  else  you 
have.    I  hope  you  have  decided  to  order  some." 

7.  Give  an  illustration  of  the  principle  of  mentioning  in  your  con- 

versation a  larger  amount  than  you  expect  the  prospect  to  buy. 


332 


APPENDIX 


PART  III— THE  SALESMAN'S  POST-GRADUATE 

COURSE 

Chapter  XX — Friendly  Relations  with  the  Buyer 

1.  Explain   the   reason   why   the   cultivation   of  the  buyer's   friend- 

ship is  often  a  necessary  step  before  the  sale  can  be  made. 

2.  What  is  the  first  essential  in  cultivating  friendly  relations  and 

how  can  this  be  revealed  and  practiced? 

3.  Name  four  ways  in  which  the  friendship  of  the  buyer  may  be 

secured. 

4.  Give  two  examples  in  connection  with  each. 

5.  In  what  kind  of  selling,  generally  speaking,  does  the  friendship 

of  the  buyer  count  the  most? 

6.  In  how  many  ways  can  the  salesman  help  his  customers  with  a 

view  to  cultivating  their  friendship? 

7.  Suggest    means    of    offering    the    customer    service-plus    when 

selling  to  him: 

(a)  A  complicated  piece  of  machinery 

(b)  A  correspondence  course 

(c)  A  set  of  expensive  tools 

(d)  Advertising  space 

Chapter  XXI— The  Retail  Satisfaction  that  Creates  Good- Will 

1.  Why  is  it  more  important  to  win  the  satisfaction  of  retail  cus- 

tomers than  it  is  to  sell  them  any  particular  goods? 

2.  What  is  the  first  thing  the  customer  must  be  made  to  feel  when 

the  clerk  comes  forward  to  serve? 

3.  Why  is  truthfulness  of  statement  as  necessary  in  retail  as  in  all 

other  forms  of  selling? 

4.  In  selling  the  following  articles,  the  wearing  qualities  of  which 

cannot  be  guaranteed,  because  they  are  made  to  sell  at  a  low 
price,  how  would  you  describe  their  deficiencies  to  a  customer : 
a  saw,  hosiery,  enameled  ware,  a  suite  of  furniture,  a  stove. 

5.  How  should  complaints  about  unsatisfactory  goods  be  rectified? 

6.  In  what  way  does  the  manner  of  the  salesperson  help  to  make  the 

customer  take  more  interest  in  the  goods? 

7.  What  is  the  secret  of  interest? 


QUESTIONS   AND   PROBLEMS  333 

8.  Explain  how  the  habit  of  concentration  can  be  acquired. 

9.  Describe  briefly  half  a  dozen  methods  by  means  of  which  the 

sales  clerk  can  indicate  a  desire  to  please  and  to  serve. 

Chapter  XXII— The  Knowledge  that  Gives  Breadth 

1.  What  is  the  necessary  information  every  salesman  should  have 

about  things  that  are  peculiar  to  the  methods  of  his  house  in 
doing  business? 

2.  What   is   the   effect   upon   the   salesman   of   knowing   that   he   is 

thoroughly  prepared? 

3.  Name  some  of  the  more  important  things  that  a  salesman  should 

know  about  his   goods  ? 

4.  What  should  the  salesman  know  about  competitive  goods? 

5.  How  may  a  retail  salesman  obtain  information  about  his  goods? 

Name  three  ways. 

6.  What  knowledge  should  the  salesman  have  concerning  his  house  ? 

7.  What  knowledge  should  the  salesman  have  concerning  his  trade 

in  general? 

8.  Why  is  general  knowledge  of  business  valuable? 

9.  Why  is  a  good  general  education  valuable  for  the  salesman  ? 

10.  What  is  the  attitude  of  the  buyer  when  he  finds  he  knows  more 

about  the  goods  than  the  salesman  does  ? 

11.  List  the  kind  of  information  needed  by: 

(a)  A  specialty  salesman  selling  an  office  device. 

(b)  A  wholesale  salesman  selling  tea. 

(c)  A  retail  salesman  selling  carpets. 

12.  Suggest  the  sources  of  the  information  needed  by  the  three  fore- 

going salesmen. 

Chapter  XXIII— SeUing  at  Wholesale  Illustrated 

1.  Analyze  the  selling  talk  given  in  this  chapter,  showing  where 

the  mental  stages  of  the  sale  developed. 

2.  Show  what  principles  previously  outlined  have  been  applied. 

3.  Discuss  fully  wherein  the  salesman  could  have  done  better  and 

state  your  reasons  for  so  thinking. 

4.  Construct  a  specimen   selling  talk   in  which   a  coffee   salesman 

approaches  a  dealer  with  the  offer  of  a  newly  advertised 
brand  of  coffee  selling  for  35  cents  a  pound,  which  is  sup- 
ported by  a  distribution  of  samples  among  a  list  of  consumers 


334  APPENDIX 

furnished  by  dealers.  A  demand  for  the  coffee  is  always 
created  after  a  sampling  campaign,  because  of  its  superb 
quality.  The  dealer  objects  that  he  hasn't  room  for  a  new 
line,  that  a  35-cent  coffee  is  much  too  expensive  for  his  class 
of  trade,  and  that  his  customers  drink  only  25-cent  coffee.  He 
is  forced  to  acknowledge  that  he  has  never  handled  a  35-cent 
brand.  The  salesman  gives  him  facts  and  figures  to  prove 
that  in  proportion  to  the  rest  of  his  turnover  and  as  compared 
with  the  turnover  of  other  grocers  his  coffee  sales  are  not 
what  they  should  be.  The  35-cent  coffee  gives  the  dealer  a 
profit  of  ID  cents  a  pound. 

Chapter  XXIV— A  Specialty  Sale  Illustrated 

1.  Analyze  the  selling  talk  given  in  this  chapter,  showing  where 

the  mental  stages  of  the  "sale"  developed. 

2.  Show  what  principles  previously  outlined  have  been  applied. 

3.  Discuss  fully  wherein  the  salesman  could  have  done  better  and 

state  your  reasons  for  so  thinking. 

4.  Prepare   a   sales   talk   recounting  the   sale   of  life   insurance   to 

Hartley  after  the  doctor's  examination  proves  he  is  a  first- 
class  risk. 

5.  Prepare  a  sales  talk  depicting  the  sale  of  a  correspondence  course 

to  a  young  mechanic  who  is  earning  $5  a  day,  spends  25  cents 
on  tobacco  a  day,  and  is  offered  an  engineering  course  on  easy 
payment  which  will  not  entail  an  expenditure  of  more  than 
10  cents  a  day  spread  over  three  years.  The  prospect  objects 
that  he  can't  afford  it;  that  he  hasn't  time  to  study,  although 
he  works  only  seven  hours  a  day ;  and  that  he  can't  understand 
the  course  as  he  hasn't  had  much  schooling. 

The  salesman  first  of  all  compels  him  to  acknowledge  that 
he  has  the  time  and  that  he  can  afford  the  course.  He  then 
appeals  to  his  ambition,  depicts  the  more  prosperous  future  of 
a  brain  worker  as  compared  with  a  manual  laborer.  The  sales- 
man finally  explains  that  the  correspondence  course  is  so  simply 
written  that  every  word  can  easily  be  understood. 

Chapter  XXV— A  Retail  Sale  Illustrated 

1.  Analyze  the  selling  talk  given  in  this  chapter,  showing  where 

the  mental  stages  of  the  "sale"  developed. 

2.  Show  what  principles  previously  outlined  have  been  applied. 


QUESTIONS    AND    PROBLEMS  335 

Discuss  fully  wherein  the  salesman  could  have  done  better  and 
state  your  reasons  for  so  thinking. 

Construct  a  retail  sales  talk  depicting  the  sale  of  an  overcoat  to 
a  young  man  w^ho  is  vain  about  his  appearance,  has  red  hair, 
and  does  not  wish  to  spend  more  than  $25.  The  salesman  finds 
a  blue  overcoat  that  is  particularly  becoming  and  which  the 
prospect  likes  in  every  way.    But  it  costs  $30. 


PART  IV— THE  CULTIVATION  OF  CHARACTER 

Chapter  XXVI— The  Make-Up  of  Personality 

1.  Explain  why  personality  plays  such  an  important  part  in  sales- 

manship. 

2.  Mention  half  a  dozen  essential  traits  to  which  particular  atten- 

tion needs  to  be  given  if  the  salesman  is  to  develop  his  per- 
sonality. 

3.  Suggest  a  course  of  study,  which  when  combined  with  his  daily 

work,  will  enable  the  salesman  to  develop  his  personality. 

Chapter  XXVII — The  Leaven  of  Enthusiasm 

1.  What  is  the  distinguishing  feature  of  the  enthusiastic  salesman? 

2.  What  is  the  effect  of  enthusiasm  on  others? 

3.  What  other  qualities  does  the  anecdote  relating  to  the  sale  of 

calendars  to  the  grocer  illustrate  in  addition  to  enthusiasm? 

4.  Why  does  enthusiasm  react  so  favorably  on  the  work  habit? 

5.  List  the  various  ways  in  which  enthusiasm  can  be  revealed  and 

explain  how  it  may  be  developed. 

6.  Write  a  brief  essay  in  your  own  words  on  the  importance  of 

enthusiasm  in  salesmanship. 

Chapter  XXVIII— The  Happy  Habit  of  Industry 

1.  Why  does  enthusiasm  tend  to  be  inefficacious  unless  supported 

by  the  habit  of  industry? 

2.  What  is  the  most  important  resolution  for  the  salesman  to  make 

who  wishes  to  cultivate  the  habit  of  industry? 

3.  Write  in  your  own  words  a  brief  essay  upon  the  cultivation  of 

the  habit  of  industry. 


336  APPENDIX 

Chapter  XXIX — The  Importance  of  Little  Things 

1.  Name  a  dozen  little  things  in  manner  or  appearance  which  might 

mar  the  effect  of  a  salesman's  personality. 

2.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  guard  against  crudities  of  speech? 

3.  How  can  unconscious  mannerisms  be  detected  and  then  eradi- 

cated ? 

4.  Write   a  brief  essay  on   the   importance   of  little   things   in   the 

make-up  of  a  salesman's  personality. 

Chapter  XXX — The  Courtesy  that  Attracts  and  Pleases 

1.  Distinguish  between  politeness  and  courtesy. 

2.  Describe  how  both  may  be  revealed. 

3.  How  can  politeness  be  revealed  when  listening  to  others? 

4.  Why   is   it  important  for  the  aggressive  salesman  to  pay  par- 

ticular attention  to  his  manners  and  bearing? 

5.  Write  a  brief  essay  on  the  effect  of  politeness  and  good  manners 

on  others. 

Chapter  XXXI— The  Fire  of  Courage 

1.  What  are  the  two  aspects  of  courage  and  how  do  they  differ? 

2.  What  resolutions  would  you  suggest  for  developing  the  habit  of 

persistence  ? 

3.  What  is  courage  primarily  based  on? 

4.  Why  are  truth  and  honesty  so  necessary  for  the  development  of 

courage. 

5.  Write  a  brief  essay  on  the  trait  of  courage  and  explain  its  re- 

lationship to  the  salesman's  work. 

Chapter  XXXII — Tact  the  Lubricant  of  the  Sales  Interview 

1.  Select  six  anecdotes  from  this  work — three  of  which  reveal  tact 

in  a  high  degree  and  three  of  which  portray  its  lack — and 
explain  why. 

2.  Describe  in  your  own  words  as  many  ways  as  you  can  think  of 

whereby  a  salesman  might  display  tact. 
5.    Write  a  brief  essay  on  the  importance  of  tact  in  salesmanship. 


INDEX 

(References  are  to  pages) 


Action,  49 

motives  that  influence,  12 
Affection,  appeal  to,  21 
Analogy, 

combating  illogical  arguments, 

83 
comparative    statements    are 

strengthened  by,  82 
reasoning  by,  81 
Appeal    (See  "Motives") 
Appearance, 

attention    to,    always    worth 

while,  280 
effect   of,   upon   salesman   him- 
self, 282 
effect  upon  others,  281 
important  in  selling  a  specialty, 
117,  282 
Approach,  2y     (See  also  "Preap- 
proach") 
flank,  62 

variations  of,  62 
importance    of    different    meth- 
ods, 140 
in  retail  selling,  122 
negative  questions,  63 
Argument     (See  "Selling  talk") 
Article     (See  "Goods") 
Attention,  46 

securing,  by  mail,  48 
undivided,  importance  of,  117 

B 

Business  card,  use  of,  121 
Buyers,     (See  also  "Shoppers") 
attitude  of,  32 


classification  of,  25,  141 
cold  and  critical  type,  143 
easy-going,  good-natured 

type,  142 
self-important  type,  144 

closing    with    cautious    and 
doubting,   190 

contradicting  the,  154 

excuses,  how  to  meet  them,  166- 

175 
friendly  relations  with,   199-208 
how  temperament  modifies  atti- 
tude, 138 
meeting  objections,  no,  153-165 
mental  indecision  of,  155 
particular   trade    must   be    con- 
sidered, 28 
pessimistic,  162 
preapproach,  97-104 
sizing  up,  138 
specialty,  29 

salesman's    attitude    towards, 

31 
things  to  remember  in  opening 

interview,  1 16-124 
types  of,  138-146 
wholesale,  25 
attitude  of,  27 
problem  of,  26 

salesman's    attitude    towards, 
27 
Buying,     motives     that     influence 
(See  "Motives") 


Calendars, 
talk,  265 


C 

example 


of     selling 


337 


338 


INDEX 


Calls,  following  up  the  first,  136 
Canvass     (See  "Selling  talk") 
Card,  business,  use  of,  121 
Caution,  appeal  to,  17 
Character,  cultivation  of,  259-316 
personality,  259-263 

appearance   and   mannerisms, 
280-287 

courage,  296-309 

courtesy,  288-295 

enthusiasm,  264-271 

industry,  272-279 

tact,  310-316 
Classification  of  buyers,  141 
cold  and  critical  type,  143 
easy-going,  good-natured  type, 

142 
self-important  type,  144 
Closing  the  sale, 

appealing    to    the    imagination, 

183 
assume  order  will  be  given,  I79 
avoid     the     negative     question 

close,  180 
cautious,  doubting  buyers,  190 
change  of  tactics,  184 
difficulty  of  landing  the  order, 

176 
diplomacy  of,  176-186 
failure  of  first  attempt,  184 
final  argument,  185 
how  much  to  sell,  188 
merely  the  final  decision,  178 
obstacles     after     order    is     ac- 
cepted, 193 
picture  the  customer  using  the 

goods,  182 
positive  assertions  help,  181 
psychological  moment,  177 
rebates  and  discounts,  192 
resource  in  a  crisis,  194 
signing  of  a  contract,  190 
things  to  remember,  187-195 
when  to  sell  the  whole  line,  189 


Comparison  with  competing 
goods, 
"knocking,"  128 
when  permissible,  128 
Competing  goods,  knowledge  of, 

227 
Competitors, 

avoid  mentioning,  127 
clean-cut  comparisons,  129 
"knocking,"  128 
Complaints,  about  unsatisfactory 

goods,  214 
Concentration,  acquiring  the  hab- 
it of,  216 
Confidence,     developing,     in     the 

buyer,  133 
Contact,   point   of,   topics   of   the 

day,  205 
Contract,  signing  of,  190 
Courage, 

adequate  preparation   essential, 

300 
aim  at  big  game,  304 
cause  and  control  of  fear,  300 
daring,  296 
discipline     facing    disagreeable 

prospects,  304 
endurance,  296 
example  of  initiative,  307 
importance  of  first  sale,  301 
in  gaining  interview,  92-95 
persistence,  297 

specialty  salesman,  299 
where  made  good,  298 
reaction  of  industry  upon,  279 
self-discipline  of,  produces  ini- 
tiative, 306 
truth  of  statement,  302 
Courtesy, 

aggressiveness  not  liked,  291 
consideration  for  other  people, 

291 
cultivating  habit  of,  293 


INDEX 


339 


Courtesy — Continued 

discourtesy  not  to  be  imitated, 

292 
part     of    salesman's     stock    in 

trade,  294 
politeness,  288 

example  of  the  effect  of,  289 
of  the  good  listener,  290 
Curiosity,    arousing    interest    by 

appealing  to,  60-61 
Customer     (See  "Buyers") 
Cutlery,     illustration     of     selling 
talk,  233-240 


Decision,  49 

Definition  of  salesmanship,  7 
Demand,  as  a  selling  point,  36 
Demonstration,  130 

in  a  retail  store,  57 

letting     the     customer     handle 
goods,  131 

method  of  arousing  interest,  55 

of  food,  56 
Desire     (See  "Motives") 
Discounts,     stumbling     block    in 

closing,  192 
Displaying  the  goods,  55 

carefulness  in,  58 

first  impressions  important,  58 

foods,  56 

illustration    of   retail    rug   sale, 
250-256 

illustration  of  a  wholesale  sale, 
233-240 

in  a  retail  store,  57 


Enthusiasm, 

breaking  down   opposition,  265 
contagious  effect  of,  264 
effect  upon  temperament,  267 


fruit    of   confidence   and   belief, 

270 
how  to  develop,  269 
industry  the  fly-wheel  of,  272 
killed    by    superficial    study    of 

goods,  215 
loyalty,  267 

example  of  result  of,  268 
must    be    revealed    in    small 
things,  269 
"pep   and   ginger,"   the   sparkle 

of  salesmanship,  264 
reaction  of  industry  on,  271,  279 
Estimates,   preapproach   essential 

before  submitting,  103 
Excel,  desire  to,  16 
Excuses,  (See  also  "Objections") 
finding   a   point    of   agreement, 

173 
how  to  meet  them,  166-175 
"I  can't  afford  it,"  166 

examples  of  meeting,  167 
"I'll  have  to  think  it  over,"  170 
"I'm  too  busy  to  decide  now," 

169 
must    be    answered    from    cus- 
tomer's viewpoint,  173 
"stop  in  on  your  next  trip,"  172 
"suppose  you  call  again,"  171 
"too    busy    to    talk    with    you 
now,"  169 


Fear,  cause  and  control  of,  300 
Follow-up  of  first  visit,  136 
Friendship, 

examples  of  "service-plus,"  202 

factor  in  making  sales,  199 

geniality  essential,  200 

ground     of     common     interest, 
204 

how  geniality  can  be  revealed, 
201 


340 


INDEX 


Friendship — Continued 

importance  of  first  impressions, 

200 

importance     of     "service-plus," 

201 

revealing  interest  in  what  oth- 
ers do,  203 

salesman  as  a  source  of  infor- 
mation, 206 

topics  of  the  day  a  part  of  con- 
tact, 205 
Function  of  the  salesman,  7 


Gain,  desire  for,  15 
Geniality, 

factor  in  cultivating  friendship, 

200 
how  it  can  be  revealed,  201 
Goods, 
analysis  of,  42 
carefulness  in  displaying,  58 
competing,  knowledge  of,  227 
first  impressions  important,   58 
knowledge  of, 
in  retail  field,  227 
livens  sales  talk,  231 
processes      of      manufacture, 

223 
worth  of,  229 
letting    the     customer    handle, 

131 
picture  the  customer  using,  182 
salesman  must  know,  230 
satisfactory,     management     re- 
sponsible for,  212 
source  of  information,  228 
special  knowledge  of,  225 
special    knowledge    of    the    ex- 
pert, 226 
study  of,  221 
unsatisfactory,      complaints      as 

to,  214 
what  size  order  to  solicit,  188 


Good-will, 

complaints  about  goods,  213 
goods    must    give    satisfaction, 

212 
retail  field, 

importance  of,  209 

satisfaction,  study  of  the  art 
of  giving,  209 

things  to  be  done,  211 
truthfulness  of  statement,  213 

H 

Honesty, 

confidence  created  by  truthful- 
ness, 213 
efifect  on  repeat  order,  303 
in  describing  goods,  212 
,of  statement,  212 


Illustrative  methods   of  arousing 

interest,  52 
Imagination,  appealing  to,  183 
Imitation,  appeal  to,  19 
Impressions,  first,  importance  of, 

200 
Industry, 
developing  habits  of,  277 
effect  upon  temperament,  272 
finding  work  to  do,  275 
fly-wheel  of  enthusiasm,  272 
importance  of  foot  work,  278 
importance  of  work  habit,  274 
lack  of  self-discipline,  273 
reaction    of,    upon    enthusiasm 

and  courage,  279 
tackling   the    hardest    jobs    first, 
278 
Information, 

salesman  as  a  source  of,  206 
sources  of,  228 
Ingredients,    as    a    talking    point, 
39 


INDEX 


341 


Initiative, 

example  of,  307 

exercise  of,  develops  faculty  of 

judgment,  309 
produced    by   self-discipline    of 

courage,  306 
Insurance,     example     of     selling 

talk,  241-249 
Interest,  arousing,  48 
appeal  to  curiosity,  60 

example,  61 
carefulness  in  displaying  goods, 

58 
common  ground,  204 
demonstration  in  a  retail  store, 

57 
demonstration  method,  55 
demonstration  of  food,  56 
enthusiastic  method,  53 
first  impressions  of  goods,  58 
illustrative  methods,  52 
method    of    cultivating    friend- 
ship, 203 
modes  and  methods,  52-65 
shoppers,  67 

straightforward  method,  54 
Interview, 
adroit  use  of  samples,  91 
appearance,  117 
ask  for  as  if  expected,  90 
asking  for  a  definite  person,  89 
attention,  undivided,  117 
avoid   mentioning   competitors, 

127 
broken,  patching  up,  119 
difficulty  of  gaining,  85 
diplomacy  of  the  close,  176-186 
handling   the   customer  with   a 

grouch,  119 
importance  of  first  impressions, 

116 
importance  of  managing,  187 
jolting  the  harmony  of,  125 


keeping    the    prospect    on    the 

track,  187 
never   apologize   for   taking  up 

time,  120 
polite  insistence,  87 
reasons  why  refused,  86 
tact  the  lubricant  of,  310-315 
things     to     remember     during, 

125-137 
things  to  remember  in  opening, 

1 16-124 
use  of  business  card,  121 
when  to  avoid  mentioning  na- 
ture of  business,  88 
when  to  force,  86 
when  to  shake  hands,  121 
winning,  85-96 


Judgment,    exercise    of    initiative 
develops  faculty  of,  309 

K 

"Knocking,"  128 

Knowledge      (See     also     "Train- 
ing") 
desire  for,  18 


Loyalty, 
an  aspect  of  enthusiasm,  267 
example  of  the  result  of,  268 
must     be     revealed     in     small 
things,  269 

M 

"Madam,"  correct  use  of,  122 

Mannerisms, 

control  and  eradication,  286 
control  of  the  voice,  286 
handicap  of  unconscious,  283 
speech,  crudities  of,  284 


342 


INDEX 


Manners,  52 

acquiring  courteous,  293 
Mental  impressions,  vividness  of, 

77-84 
Mental  stages,  45 
action,  49 
attention,  46 
desire,  49 
in  a  retail  sale,  46 
interest,  48 

modes  and  methods  of  arous- 
ing, 52-65 
Metaphors, 

construction  of,  80 
use  of,  80 
Motives  for  buying,  12-24 
appeal  to, 
affection,  21 
caution,  \^ 
imitation,  19 
profit,  35 
desire,  49 
for  gain,  15 
for  knowledge,  18 
to  excel,  16 
love  of  praise,  22 
pleasure  of  possession,  22 
salesman's  appeal  to,  13 
which  instincts  to  appeal  to,  23 


honest,  155 

answering,  156 
meeting,  a  necessary  study,  no, 

153 
meeting   pessimistic  mood,    162 
mental  indecision  of  the  buyer, 

155 
"no  room  for  a  new  line,"  160 
on  the  score  of  taste,  162 
pointing    out    erroneous    state- 
ment, 163 
salesman's    attitude    in    contra- 
dicting, 154 
"satisfied  with  our  present  con- 
nections," 159 
trivial,  156 

answering,  156 
"we    are     stocked    up    to    the 
limit,"  159 
Order, 

assume  that  it  will  be  given,  179 
diiificulty  of  landing,  176 
effect  of  untruth  on  repeat,  303 
how  much  to  sell,  188 
psychological  moment  to  close, 

177 
signing  of  a  contract,  190 
when  to  sell  the  whole  line,  189 


N 

Negative  questions,  63,  180 
"Nerve"     (See  "Courage") 


Objections,  (See  also  "Excuses") 
answered  from  the   customer's 

viewpoint,  173 
as  to  price,  158 
as  to  quality,  157 
disgruntled  customer,  164 
finding   a   point   of   agreement. 


Palatability,  as  a  talking  point,  40 
Payment,  easy  terms  of,  168 
Persistence,  297 

quiet,  where  made  good,  298 

specialty  salesman,  299 
Personality, 

appearance     and     mannerisms, 
280-287 

courage,  296-309 

courtesy,  288-295 

definition  of,  260 

development  of,  316 

effect  of,  259 


INDEX 


343 


Personality — Continued 
enthusiasm,  264-271 
how  developed,  261 
how   to    make    study    practical, 

262 
industry,  272-279 
study  of,  comes  last,  261 
tact,  310-316 
"Points  of  contact"     (See  "Talk- 
ing points") 
Politeness      (See    "Courtesy") 
Possession,  pleasure  of,  22 
Praise,  love  of,  22 
Preapproach, 
definite  facts  about  prospect,  97 
essential  before  estimating,  103 
illustrations  of  the  value  of,  100 
metaphorical  definition  of,  99 
of  the  specialty  salesman,  98 
quantity  of  goods  used,  102 
retail  sales,  100 

customer's  name,  loi 
where  neglect  of  proved  fatal, 
102 
Price, 

as  a  talking  point,  37 
in  retail  sales, 

avoid  mention  of,  73 
finding  shopper's  limit,  74 
meeting  objections  as  to,  158 
Problems  and  questions  covering 
subject  matter  of  book,  319- 
336 
Products     (See  "Goods") 
Profit,  appeal  to,  35 
Prospects     (See  "Buyers") 
Purchasing     (See  "Buying") 


Qualifications,      for      success      in 

salesmanship,  3-y 
Quality,     meeting    objections     as 

to,  157 


Questions, 
asking,  in  retail  sales,  72 
covering     subject      matter     of 

book,  319-336 
importance  of  asking,  132 
negative,  63,  180 


Rebates, 

stumbling  block  in  closing,  192 
Reputation,  as  a  talking  point,  38 
Retail  sales,  (See  also  "Shop- 
pers") 

asking  too  many  questions,  72 

attitude  must  be  positive,  66 

avoid  telling  size,  76 

characteristic  types  of  shop- 
pers,  147 

clerical  work  of  salespersons, 
216 

correct  use  of  "Sir"  and  "Mad- 
am," 122 

customers  should  be  treated 
alike,  217 

demonstration,  57 

enthusiasm    about    the    goods, 

215 

finding  shopper's  price  limit,  74 
friendly  relations  with  custom- 
ers, 207 
habit  of  concentration,  216 
helping  the  customer,  218 
how  to  handle  more  than  one 

customer,  124 
illustration    of    selling   talk,    250- 

256 
importance  of  good-will,  209 
interesting  retail  customer,  66- 

76 
knowledge  of  goods,  227 
mental  satges,  46 
mentioning  prices,  7^ 
patience    with    the    customers, 
219 


344 


INDEX 


Retail  sales — Continued 
preapproach,  lOO 

customer's  name,  lor 
problems  of  salesperson,  66 
salesman  must  know  his  stock, 

230 
salesperson  and  service,  211 
satisfaction, 

study    of    the    art    of    giving, 
209 

things  not  to  be  done,  210 
shoppers  vi^ho  are  "just  looking 

around,"  71,  123 
showing  the  largest  sized  pack- 
ages, 75 
study  of  the  goods,  221 
substitutions,  68-70 
Rugs,    illustration     of    a    selling 

talk,  250-256 


Sales  talk     (See  "Selling  talk") 
Samples,   adroit   use    of,   to   gain 

interview,  91 
Satisfaction     (See  "Service") 
Schools  of  salesmanship,  for  spe- 
cialty selling,  224 
Selling    arguments      (See    "Sell- 
ing talk") 
Selling      points       (See      "Selling 

talk") 
Selling  talk,     (See  also  "Talking 
points") 
analogy, 

combating      illogical       argu- 
ments, 83 
comparative     statement     is 
strengthened  by,  82 
analysis  of  goods,  42 
appeal  to  profit,  35 
arguments  must  be  adapted  to 
temperament,  139 


arguments    must   be    clear    and 
definite,  77 

connecting  with   prospect's   in- 
terest, 59 

construction  of,  34 

definiteness  of  stat'cment,  78 

details    must    be    logically    ar- 
ranged, 78 

diplomacy  of  the  close,  176-186 

disadvantages  of  inflexible,  108 

how  to  build  up  a  strong  claim 
step  by  step,  11 1 

how  to  make  it  convincing,  109 

illustration      of     an     insurance 
sale,  241-249 

illustrations   of  wholesale   sale, 
233-240 

language  and  style  of,  109 

make    argument    applicable    to 
prospect's  needs,  126 

method  of  learning  arguments, 
42 

must  be  flexible,   107 

preparation  of,  33-44 

reasoning  by  analogy,  81 

securing    customer's    assent    to 
claims,  no 

similes  and  metaphors, 
construction  of,  80 
use  of,  80 

the  time  for  silence,  113 

varying,   to   suit  different  tem- 
peraments,  140 

vividness     of     mental     impres- 
sions, 77-84 
Service, 

acquiring  the  habit  of  concen- 
tration, 216 

as  a  talking  point,  38 

clerical    work    of    salesperson, 
216 

equal   treatment   of   customers, 
217 

helping  the  customer,  218 


INDEX 


345 


Service — Continued 

patience     with     the     customer, 

219 
retail  field, 

complaints   about   unsatisfac- 
tory goods,  213 
giving  satisfaction,  209 
goods  must  give  satisfaction, 

212 
responsibility      of      manage- 
ment, 212 
responsibility   of  sales   force, 

212 
salesperson,  211 
truthfulness,  213 
superficial  study  of  goods  kills 
enthusiasm,  215 
"Service-plus," 
examples  of,  202 
importance  of,  201 
Shaking  hands,  121 
Shoppers, 

correct  use  of  "Sir"  and  "Mad- 
am,"   122 
irresolute,    garrulous    type,    149 
"just  looking  around,"  71 
methods  of  interesting,  67 
nervous,      irritable,      querulous 
type,  147 
handling  of,  148 
study  of  the  art  of  giving  sat- 
isfaction,  209 
w^hen  study  of  types  is  useful, 

147 
Signing  of  a  contract,  190 
Silence,  the  time  for,  113 
Similes, 

construction  of,  80 
use  of,  80 
"Sir,"  correct  use  of,  122 
Specialty, 
buyers,  29 

salesman's    attitude    towards, 
31 


importance  of  appearance  when 
selling,  282 

insurance   sale   illustrated,   241- 
249 

persistency,  299 

schools  of  salesmanship,  224 

talking  points  of,  40 

value  of  preapproach,  98 
Speech, 

crudities  of,  284 

mannerisms  in,  285 
Statement,  definiteness  of,  78 
Stock     (See  "Goods") 
Study  of  salesmanship,  8-1 1 
Substitutions,  68-70 


Tact, 

argumentative  salesmen,  312 

definition,  310 

essential      in      breaking      down 
prejudice,  312 

in  its  negative  aspect,  315 

recognizes    the    hopeless    pros- 
pect, 314 

revealed  in  little  things,  311 

senses      hopeless      antagonism, 
314 
Talking   points,      (See    also    "Sell- 
ing talk") 

analysis  of,  33 

demand,  36 

ingredients  as,  39 

palatability  as,  40 

price,  37 

reputation,  38 

service,  38 

specialty,  40 

terms,  37 
Talk,  selling    (See  "Selling  talk") 
Taste,  objections  on  the  score  of, 
162 


346 


INDEX 


Temperament, 
argument  must  be  adapted  to, 

139 
effect  of  enthusiasm  upon,  267 
effect  of  industry  upon,  272 
how  it  modifies  customer's  at- 
titude, 138 
Terms, 

as  a  talking  point,  37,  168 
rebates  and  discounts, 

stumbling    block    in    closing, 
192 
Testimonials,'  use  of,  134 
Training,  salesman's, 
all-around,  3-1 1 
example  of  value  of,  229 
expertness    needed    in     selling 

certain  goods,  226 
growing  importance  of,  221 


knowledge  of, 

competing  goods,  227 
goods,   livens   sales   talk,  231 
house  and  its  history,  222 
processes      of      manufacture, 
223 

necessity  for  knowledge,  222 

requirements    by    motor    truck 
concern,  223 

schools     of     salesmanship     for 
specialty  selling,  224 

sources  of  information  regard- 
ing goods,  228 

special  knowledge  of  goods,  225 

use  of  eyes  and  ears  in  acquir- 
ing knowledge,  231 


Voice,  control  of,  286 


3  1158  01338  3814 


^^S?*   I 


T"'ff"'^''rtHBf  "T 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001016130    5 


SOUTHERN  BRANCH, 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

LIBRARY, 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIF. 


